A hitherto unknown class of linear acetylene regioisomers were designed such that a SO(2)NH(2) group was located at the ortho-, meta-, or para-position of the acetylene C-1 phenyl ring, and a N-hydroxypyridin-2(1H)-one moiety was attached via its C-5 position to the C-2 position on an acetylene template (scaffold). All three regioisomers inhibited 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), where the relative potency order was 2-SO(2)NH(2) (IC(50)=10 microM) >3-SO(2)NH(2) (IC(50)=15 microM) >4-SO(2)NH(2) (IC(50)=68 microM) relative to the reference drug nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA; IC(50)=35 microM). The 2-SO(2)NH(2) regioisomer (ED(50)=86.0mg/kg po) exhibited excellent oral anti-inflammatory (AI) activity that was more potent than aspirin (ED(50)=128.9 mg/kg) and marginally less potent than ibuprofen (ED(50)=67.4 mg/kg). The N-hydroxypyridin-2(1H)one moiety provides a novel pharmacophore for the design of cyclic hydroxamic mimetics capable of chelating 5-LOX iron for exploitation in the design of 5-LOX inhibitory AI drugs.