Doctors Max Cohen and Flavio Habal of the University of Toronto said the drug, misoprostil, prevents injury and bleeding in the lining of the digestive tract commonly caused by anti-inflammatory drugs like ASA (acetylsalicylic acid) and other anti-inflammation drugs that are not steroids.

Cohen, a professor of surgery, has demonstrated in healthy volunteers that misoprostil protects against damage from ASA. He has not yet tested it in patients with arthritis. Research in the U.S. has shown the drug also protects against damage from other anti- inflammatory drugs.

Cohen has also found misoprostil works on smokers with ulcers. Most anti-ulcer drugs don't work on smokers. Besides blocking acid secretion that causes ulcers, misoprostil also mimics a natural defence in the body.