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

PubMedReports (MDPI)2026-07-24

Plasma Exchange in the Setting of Acute Ibuprofen Poisoning: A Case and Review of the Literature.

Glover Raeshun T RT, Maitta Robert W RW, Zhou Yi-Yuan YY

Background and Clinical Significance: Extracorporeal therapies such as hemodialysis, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) or therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) are mainstay treatments for acute toxins, venoms and poisonings. Ibuprofen is a common drug implicated in acute toxicity, with a major complication being acute kidney injury (AKI). As such, these patients often receive hemodialysis or CRRT, which do not remove substances with high protein binding (>80%) and low volumes of distribution (Vd) (<0.2 L/kg). The pharmacokinetics of ibuprofen have these characteristics. While hemodialysis or CRRT can clear the accumulated toxic metabolites, they do not remove the ibuprofen that causes renal injury. In contrast, TPE can remove protein-bound drugs such as ibuprofen. Case Presentation: We describe the case of a previously healthy young male who presented with AKI due to ibuprofen toxicity requiring concurrent continuous renal replacement therapy and plasma exchange. Conclusions: TPE in conjunction with hemodialysis or CRRT is an effective treatment modality for ibuprofen toxicity.

PMID 42496525
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PubMedCarbohydrate polymers2026-07-24

Chitosan-ibuprofen conjugate-based short-fiber reinforced scaffold with sustained immunomodulation for meniscus regeneration.

Ding Yangfan Y, Li Chunchun C, Cai Pengfei P, Sun Binbin B et al.

Meniscus regeneration remains challenging due to insufficient mechanical support and complex inflammatory microenvironment. We developed a mechanically stable, immunomodulatory composite short-fiber scaffold, CSI-PE, for functional meniscus repair. The scaffold was engineered by incorporating homogenized poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)/decellularized meniscus extracellular matrix (dmECM) short fibers (designated as PE fibers for PLLA/dmECM) into a chitosan-ibuprofen (CS-IBU) conjugate matrix, followed by glutaraldehyde cross-linking and lysine modification. CSI-PE exhibited an interconnected porous structure with a porosity greater than 80%, providing excellent fatigue resistance and withstanding 100 compression cycles, providing essential mechanical stability for early-stage tissue integration. It enabled sustained IBU release for up to 56 days (67 ± 5 μg/mg), effectively modulating the immune microenvironment by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and promoting macrophage polarization. This immunomodulatory microenvironment synergistically enhanced the proliferation, migration, and fibrocartilaginous differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) under adverse conditions. In vivo, CSI-PE significantly alleviated intra-articular inflammation and facilitated high-quality tissue regeneration with well-organized collagen deposition while preventing cartilage degeneration after 8 weeks. Transcriptomic analysis further associated this regeneration with immune regulation and extracellular matrix remodeling pathways. This strategy effectively harmonizes mechanical stability with immune homeostasis, positioning CSI-PE as a promising candidate for meniscus tissue engineering.

PMID 42493143
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PubMedFrontiers in pediatrics2026-07-24

Pharmacologic treatment strategies and association with major neonatal outcomes for patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants.

Tutak Ercan E, Cındık Nimet N, Doğan Eser E, Ayhan Yunus Emre YE et al.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is common in preterm infants. Although pharmacologic treatment promotes ductal closure, its impact on clinically meaningful outcomes remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the association between different pharmacologic PDA treatment strategies and major neonatal outcomes. This retrospective cohort study included preterm infants born at <32 weeks' gestation who received pharmacologic treatment for clinically significant PDA following an integrated echocardiographic and clinical assessment in a tertiary-level neonatal intensive care unit between 2018 and 2024. Infants were categorized by treatment strategy (ibuprofen only, paracetamol only, or sequential therapy), treatment timing, and number of treatment courses. The primary outcome was a composite of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and/or mortality. Secondary outcomes included intraventricular hemorrhage, necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, and sepsis. A total of 76 preterm infants were included, with a median gestational age of 28 weeks (IQR 26-30) and mean birth weight of 1,076 ± 343 g. Infants were treated with ibuprofen only (n = 31, 40.8%), paracetamol only (n = 27, 35.5%), or sequential therapy (n = 18, 23.7%). The composite outcome occurred in 39 infants (51.3%) and did not differ significantly across treatment groups. In multivariate analysis, gestational age emerged as the strongest independent predictor of BPD and/or mortality (adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.77; p = 0.001), while treatment category was not independently associated with outcomes. Pharmacologic PDA treatment strategies were not independently associated with BPD and/or mortality in this retrospective cohort. Gestational age showed the strongest association with the primary outcome; however, residual confounding and limited statistical power preclude causal or equivalence conclusions.

PMID 42495252
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PubMedAnnals of clinical and translational neurology2026-07-24

Vascular Disease, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Risk of Parkinson's Disease.

Wotton Clare C, Hermon Carol C, Floud Sarah S, Reeves Gillian G et al.

A history of vascular disease has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, but this may be due to reverse causation. In addition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are thought to reduce Parkinson's disease risk, but evidence is inconsistent and confounding by prior vascular disease is possible. Our objective was to examine these associations in the UK prospective Million Women Study. A total of 819,575 women were followed from median year 2001 for first hospital admission or death from Parkinson's disease. A history of ischaemic heart disease and of cerebrovascular disease was ascertained through hospital admission records and self-report at baseline. Use of the two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, aspirin and ibuprofen, was ascertained through self-report at baseline. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios. During an average follow-up of 18 years, 10,364 cases of Parkinson's disease occurred. Women with prior ischaemic heart disease had an increased risk of Parkinson's disease (Hazard ratio 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.35-1.54), as did women with prior cerebrovascular disease (1.51, 1.32-1.73); both associations were still pronounced 10 or more years after baseline. There was little association of aspirin use with risk of Parkinson's disease (1.06, 1.00-1.13) after adjustment for vascular disease, and no association with ibuprofen use (1.04, 0.97-1.11). Ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease are both positively associated with subsequent risk of Parkinson's disease and these associations are unlikely to be solely due to reverse causation. In contrast, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is not materially associated with risk.

PMID 42496078
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PubMedInternational journal of pharmaceutics2026-07-24

Development of sustained-release oral tablets using xanthan and tragacanth gums as release modifiers.

Manovacia Moreno Nohora P NP, Bramhall Jessica A JA, Patel Kush G KG, Broich Michael M et al.

Hydrophilic matrix systems are widely used to regulate drug release from oral dosage forms and remain one of the most established approaches for achieving sustained drug delivery. However, despite growing interest in natural polysaccharides as matrix-forming excipients, their comparative release performance and mechanisms governing drug release remain insufficiently understood. This study evaluates xanthan gum (XG) and tragacanth gum (TG) as natural hydrophilic matrix-forming excipients in tablets prepared by direct compression at various polymer loadings. Caffeine, ibuprofen, and 5-aminosalicylic acid were selected as model drugs representing BCS Classes I, II, and IV, respectively, to assess the effects of polymer type, concentration, and drug solubility on release behaviour. Drug release was characterized using dissolution testing, kinetic modeling, and complementary gel-layer, swelling, and erosion analyses to elucidate the dominant release mechanisms. Both polymers enabled controlled release, but their performance depended strongly on hydration behaviour and gel structure. XG matrices exhibited rapid hydration and extensive swelling, forming thick, highly hydrated gel layers that promoted faster drug diffusion. Effective release control required polymer loadings of at least 25%, whereas lower concentrations led to rapid disintegration and burst release. In contrast, TG formed thinner but more cohesive gel structures, attributed to its dual-phase composition, which provided a stronger diffusion barrier and sustained release even at polymer loadings as low as 5%. Korsmeyer-Peppas modeling revealed distinct release mechanisms for the two polymers: XG exhibited predominantly diffusion-controlled release at moderate loadings and anomalous transport at higher concentrations, whereas TG showed anomalous transport across a broader composition range. Blending these gums with other polysaccharides further improved release; however, TG-containing formulations consistently showed superior performance, providing more sustained and uniform drug release than XG-based systems. Overall, TG outperformed XG by achieving prolonged and uniform drug release at substantially lower polymer content. The balanced contributions of diffusion, matrix swelling, and relaxation in TG systems enabled effective release control even at low polymer concentrations and in blended polysaccharide matrices. These findings identify TG as a highly efficient natural matrix-forming excipient and provide mechanistic insight into the design of hydrophilic matrix tablets for controlled oral drug delivery.

PMID 42492645
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PubMedJAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery2026-07-23

Postoperative Oral Dexamethasone and Pediatric Tonsillectomy Morbidity: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Shaffer Amber D AD, Omar Mahmoud M, Maguire Raymond C RC, Dohar Joseph E JE et al.

Tonsillectomy is among the most painful otolaryngologic procedures. It is unclear whether a postoperative course of oral steroids reduces pediatric tonsillectomy pain and morbidity. To determine whether a postoperative course of oral dexamethasone reduces postadenotonsillectomy pain in children. This was a parallel-design quadruple-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted at a single tertiary academic center that enrolled pediatric patients (3-17 years of age) undergoing adenotonsillectomy from August 2021 to May 2023, with 14 days of follow-up for pain and 5 to 9 weeks for adverse events. Data were analyzed from October 2023 to May 2026. Oral dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg; maximum dose, 20 mg) or placebo on postoperative days 2, 4, and 6. Mean (SD) pain score before medication administered during days 2 to 8 postoperatively. Of 763 children screened, 209 participants (median [IQR] age, 7.1 [5.8] years; 99 females [47.4%] and 110 males [52.6%]) were included (104 to the steroid arm and 105 to placebo) in analyses of adverse events and health care utilization. Of these, 131 (61 steroid arm and 70 placebo) completed pain diaries and were included in primary outcome (pain) analysis. Mean (SD) pain before acetaminophen or ibuprofen on days 2 to 8 was 0.72 (95% CI, 0-1.44) points lower in the dexamethasone group (4.12 [2.00]) than placebo (4.84 [2.15]), but wide 95% CIs and differences in pain prior to taking the study medication prevented making definitive conclusions. The dexamethasone group had less pre- and postanalgesic pain on postoperative days 12 and 13 (mean difference, 0.96-2.37 points) and a considerable decrease in odds of receiving an opioid prescription (odds ratio [OR], 0.23; 95% CI, 0.06-0.84) or having an emergency department visit for pain (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.003-0.91). However, the precision of these estimates limits interpretability. Differences in readmissions, nursing telephone calls, posttonsillectomy hemorrhage, and return to normal diet between groups were small and clinically meaningless. In this randomized clinical trial, postoperative oral dexamethasone was associated with a modest reduction in pain after pediatric adenotonsillectomy, a considerable reduction in opioid prescriptions, and no increase in complications, supporting its use as an analgesic adjunct. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04879823.

PMID 42490074
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