DNA Alterations and Cellular Damage Induced by Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatories on Different Species of Fish

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a group of drugs used to reduce inflammation, pain, and fever by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX 1 and COX 2). These drugs have been positioned among the most consumed worldwide. After their biotransformation in the body, they are eliminated as metabolites, and also in the environment they can undergo transformations, generating products that are more toxic than the original molecule. Several studies have shown that NSAIDs are not eliminated in conventional treatments used by wastewater treatment plants and represent a continuous contribution to the environment, causing significant effects on biota. However, there has been little attention given to the study of its toxic effects on aquatic organisms. The objective of this chapter is to review, compile, and analyze the oxidative damage induced by NSAIDs in different aquatic organisms, to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of this type of drugs.