Drug Database
IB

ibuprofen (ibuprofen, Diffutab)

✓ Approved

Therabel · PTGS1 · Small Molecule

What is ibuprofen?

ibuprofen is a small molecule developed by Therabel. It is approved for therapeutic indications via oral (po).

Drug Profile

Brand Namesibuprofen, Diffutab
CompanyTherabel
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetPTGS1, PTGS2
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Therabel

Mechanism of Action

Molecular Targets

ibuprofen acts on 2 molecular targets:

PTGS1prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 1 (COX3, PCOX1)
PTGS2prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (GRIPGHS, hCox-2)
Want deeper analysis?Noah AI can explain complex mechanisms and compare to similar drugs.

Therapeutic Indications

ibuprofen is developed for 1 unique indication across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Gastrointestinal disordersAbdominal pain✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedJAMA network open2026-06-09

Pharmacologic Therapies for Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Preterm Infants.

Mitra Souvik S, Jain Amish A, Ting Joseph Y JY, Ben Fadel Nadya N et al.

Wide variation exists in patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) treatment practices in extremely preterm infants (defined in this study as born before 29 weeks' gestation). Commonly used treatment strategies include use of standard-dose and adjustable-dose ibuprofen, indomethacin, and acetaminophen as well as nonpharmacological conservative management. To compare the relative effectiveness of different PDA pharmacotherapeutic regimens in extremely preterm infants, and to compare the clinical outcomes between infants who were treated with pharmacotherapy and those who received no pharmacotherapy (conservatively managed). This comparative effectiveness research study using clinical data from 19 tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in Canada, which are part of the Canadian Neonatal Network, was conducted between January 1, 2020, and July 31, 2023. Infants born before 29 weeks' gestation with echocardiography-confirmed, predominantly left-right shunting, moderate- to large-sized (diameter: ≥1.5 mm) PDA were included. Infants who received PDA treatment based solely on clinical diagnosis without echocardiographic confirmation or underwent primary procedural closure were excluded. Prior to study initiation, each NICU self-selected 1 of the following 4 predefined interventions as their primary pharmacotherapy regimen: standard-dose ibuprofen, adjustable-dose ibuprofen, indomethacin, and acetaminophen. Data analyses were conducted from May 9, 2024, to February 23, 2026. Primary PDA pharmacotherapy using 1 of the following regimens: standard-dose ibuprofen, adjustable-dose ibuprofen, indomethacin, and acetaminophen. The primary outcome was failure of primary pharmacotherapy, defined as the need for additional medical and/or procedural PDA treatment. The secondary outcomes included repeat pharmacotherapy course, surgical or interventional PDA closure, predischarge mortality, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), stage 2 or higher necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and definite sepsis. A total of 1356 infants (mean [SD] gestational age [GA], 25.4 [1.6] weeks; mean [SD] birth weight, 828 [228] g; 746 males [55.0%]) were included, of whom 1097 (80.9%) received PDA pharmacotherapy and 259 (19.1%) did not. Among the participating NICUs, 7 selected standard-dose ibuprofen, 8 selected adjustable-dose ibuprofen, 1 selected indomethacin, and 3 selected acetaminophen as their primary pharmacotherapy. There was 28.1% (308 of 1097) protocol deviation, 75.0% of which was attributable to the use of acetaminophen by sites that did not intend to use acetaminophen. Among infants who received treatment, 464 (42.3%) experienced failure of the primary pharmacotherapy, and 456 (41.6%) received repeat pharmacotherapy course. There were no differences between the 4 treatment regimens in failure of primary pharmacotherapy after adjustment for confounders and accounting for clustering within each site. Compared with infants who received no pharmacotherapy, treated infants had higher odds of moderate to severe BPD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.91; 95% CI, 1.12-3.25) and NEC (AOR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.55-2.99) but lower odds of mortality (AOR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.21-0.58). In this comparative effectiveness research study, the rate of PDA pharmacotherapy failure was high among extremely preterm infants, with no observed differences in effectiveness between commonly used pharmacotherapy regimens. Compared with conservative management, pharmacotherapy was associated with lower mortality and higher BPD and NEC odds; however, confounding by contraindication and survival bias cannot be ruled out.

PMID 42262753
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PubMedCureus2026-06-09

Perioperative Pain Management Strategies and Postoperative Outcomes in Tonsillectomy Patients Aged Seven to 14 Years: A Single-Center Study.

Amjad Afnan A

Background Tonsillectomy is a common pediatric procedure requiring effective perioperative pain management to minimize complications and promote recovery. In resource-limited settings, standardized protocols are often challenged by infrastructural constraints and variable adherence to multimodal analgesia guidelines, risking suboptimal pain control and delayed discharge. Objective To evaluate a standardized acetaminophen-based pain management protocol and its impact on postoperative outcomes in children aged seven to 14 years undergoing tonsillectomy at the Lady Reading Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, between October 2024 and July 2025. Data from 99 consecutively enrolled patients were collected using a structured proforma, capturing demographics, perioperative medications, pain scores (Numeric Rating Scale 0-10 or Wong-Baker Faces scale), discharge status, oral intake tolerance, and pain at discharge. The analgesic protocol was primarily acetaminophen-based. Patients received intraoperative acetaminophen, with ibuprofen administered postoperatively as needed for breakthrough pain. A single dose of tramadol was given at induction as part of the standard anesthesia protocol. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Ethical approval was obtained from the hospital research committee. Results All 99 patients (100%) received uniform intra-/post-operative acetaminophen (15 mg/kg). Adjunct ibuprofen, as rescue analgesia (PRN), was administered to only six out 99 (6.1%) of patients, whose pain did not subside. Postoperative pain scores revealed that 73.7% (73/99) of the patients reported mild pain (score=3 on the 0-10 pain scale), while 20.2% (20/99) of the patients reported moderate pain (score=5 on the 0-10 pain scale), with the latter predominantly observed in younger children (seven to nine years). All patients 99/99 (100%) tolerated cold liquids orally. Although no patient (0/99) reported pain at discharge (assessed as a binary Yes/No field by nursing staff at time of discharge; not a formal repeated pain score), while 73.7% (73/99) were discharged home after 24 hours, with retention rates peaking among 26/99 (26.3%) patients aged 11-year-olds. Conclusion A standardized perioperative acetaminophen-based monotherapy was associated with generally low pain scores and favorable recovery outcomes, including high rates of oral intake tolerance and minimal pain at discharge in this cohort. However, a proportion of patients still experienced moderate pain, which may be related to the limited use of ibuprofen. Given the observational design and absence of a control group, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further controlled studies are needed to compare analgesic strategies and to determine the optimal role of adjuncts such as ibuprofen and age-specific dosing. Additionally, system-level factors influencing timely discharge warrant further investigation.

PMID 42261522
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PubMedAnnals of African medicine2026-06-09

Opioid-free Postoperative Pain Management in Pediatric Upper Limb Fracture Surgery: A Prospective Observational Study.

Subrahmanya Karthik K, Kadambila Vishwas V, Rao Shravya Shrinivas SS, Jacob John Joe JJ

Postoperative pain management in pediatric fracture surgery is challenging. Opioid analgesics, conventionally used for moderate-to-severe pain, are associated with significant adverse effects in children, including respiratory depression, nausea, and sedation. Growing emphasis on opioid stewardship has increased interest in opioid-free strategies; however, real-world data in pediatric orthopedic trauma remain limited. The objective is to evaluate postoperative pain outcomes and analgesic requirements in children undergoing upper limb fracture surgery managed with a standardized opioid-free protocol. This prospective observational study included children aged 5-18 years who underwent closed reduction and internal fixation of upper limb fractures between January and December 2025. All patients received scheduled postoperative acetaminophen. Ibuprofen was permitted only as rescue analgesia for persistent moderate pain. Pain intensity was assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) on postoperative days (POD) 1, 2, and 3. Analgesic requirements, hospital stay, and adverse events were recorded. Fifty patients were included (30 males, 20 females; mean age 11.2 ± 2.8 years). Mean NRS scores decreased significantly from POD 1 (4.02 ± 0.96) to POD 2 (2.78 ± 0.88) and POD 3 (1.64 ± 0.82) (P < 0.001). Rescue ibuprofen was required in six patients (12%). No patient required opioids, and no analgesic-related adverse events were observed. An acetaminophen-centered, opioid-free protocol provided effective pain control following pediatric upper limb fracture surgery and markedly reduced the need for additional analgesia. These findings support the feasibility and safety of opioid-free management in pediatric orthopedic trauma.

PMID 42262342
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PubMedJournal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition2026-06-09

Mucoadhesive amphiphilic polymers for buccal drug delivery: overcoming solubility and permeation barriers.

Kumar Avnish A, Rathore Gulshan G, Verma Anurag A, Singh Ravindra Pal RP

Buccal drug delivery offers a non-invasive and patient-friendly alternative to conventional oral administration because of its rapid onset of action and capacity to avoid hepatic first-pass metabolism. However, drugs' poor water solubility, quick salivary clearance, enzymatic degradation, and brief mucosal residence times frequently limit their therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability. In recent years, mucoadhesive-amphiphilic polymers have emerged as a potential remedy for these associated issues. Mucoadhesive polymers extend their stay at the buccal mucosa through hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and chain interpenetration with mucin glycoproteins, whereas amphiphilic modification adds hydrophobic domains that can solubilize and preserve weakly water-soluble medications. The mechanisms underlying mucoadhesion, how to impart amphiphilicity to natural biopolymers such as chitosan, pectin, alginate, pullulan, carrageenan, and gum, and how these biopolymers self-assemble into useful nanostructures such as hydrogels, micelles, nanogels, nanoparticles, and fast-dissolving oral films are all critically examined. Mucoadhesion and amphiphilicity work together to enhance drug solubilization, regulate release, prolong mucosal retention, and promote transmucosal penetration. Research has demonstrated a three to five-fold increase in the bioavailability of drugs like ibuprofen, paclitaxel, curcumin, and melatonin. Translational aspects like pharmacokinetic performance, biocompatibility, green production, and regulatory acceptability are also discussed. All things considered, mucoadhesive-amphiphilic biopolymers provide a scalable and adaptable foundation for upcoming oral and buccal drug delivery systems designed to get around permeability and solubility limitations.

PMID 42262279
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PubMedCureus2026-06-08

A Pediatric Case of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome With Extensive Palmoplantar Involvement Following Varicella Infection.

Alsweis Adil A AA, Omar Shatha B SB, Omar Ola B OB, Khaled Amr A et al.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare but dangerous clinical condition characterized by extensive skin lesions and erosive mucosal lesions. SJS is typically caused by an allergic reaction to a medicine, and occasionally, infectious causes can provoke the syndrome. The illness is considered a medical emergency, and treatment varies based on symptoms, with a focus on lesion treatment, airway and hemodynamic stability, and opportunistic infection avoidance. We report a case of 10 years old female patient who presented with chickenpox accompanied by high-grade fever. Ibuprofen was used to relieve her fever, and then she experienced a worsening skin rash, mucosal ulcers, dysphagia, and eye symptoms. SJS was compatible with clinical findings. The temporal correlation raises the possibility of a medication-related side effect triggered during the course of viral infection or by the viral infection itself. Topical and oral corticosteroids were used to treat the patient, and the patient's symptoms significantly improved. SJS is a condition that requires multidisciplinary care and management. Our case demonstrates the possibility of SJS being caused by varicella zoster infection or after taking ibuprofen while having chickenpox. It highlights the significance of identifying warning symptoms early on, such as rash and mucosal involvement, and using drugs cautiously during viral diseases. Favorable results and the avoidance of serious complications can be achieved by promptly stopping the offending medication if present, and starting the proper therapy, including corticosteroids.

PMID 42255832
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PubMedJournal of bioscience and bioengineering2026-06-07

Elucidation of a novel fungal biotransformation pathway of ibuprofen by Phanerochaete sordida YK-624 under non-ligninolytic conditions.

Park Wonhi W, Yin Ru R, Ono Akiko A, Wu Jing J et al.

Ibuprofen, a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), has been detected in the environment and is known to contaminate waterbodies. Here, we investigated the biotransformation of ibuprofen using the hyper-lignin-degrading fungus Phanerochaete sordida YK-624. This fungus exhibited excellent transformation capacity, removing 75% of ibuprofen within 5 h of incubation at a final concentration of 100 μM. Three novel metabolites of this transformation were isolated, and their structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Furthermore, experiments involving inhibition of cytochrome P450 indicated that it may play important roles in the process of ibuprofen transformation. To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to demonstrate hydroxylation of the aromatic ring during the metabolism of ibuprofen by fungi. Additionally, a novel metabolic pathway for the transformation of ibuprofen by P. sordida YK-624 was proposed. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of fungal-mediated pharmaceutical biotransformation and underscore the potential of white-rot fungi for environmental remediation of pharmaceutical pollutants.

PMID 42251002
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