Drug Database
IB

ibuprofen (ibuprofen, OSAT / OSAT ibuprofen)

✓ Approved

Paion · PTGS1 · Small Molecule

What is ibuprofen?

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

Drug Profile

Brand Namesibuprofen, OSAT, OSAT ibuprofen
CompanyPaion
Drug ClassSmall Molecule
Molecular TargetPTGS1, PTGS2
RouteOral (PO)
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, Paion

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 3 unique indications across 1 therapeutic area.

Therapeutic AreaConditionPhase
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disordersMusculoskeletal pain✓ Approved
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disordersMyositis✓ Approved
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disordersRheumatoid arthritis✓ Approved

Related Research Articles

PubMedPaediatric drugs2026-10-14

Efficacy of Ibuprofen Versus Acetaminophen for Acute Fever Management in Febrile Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Marseglia Gian Luigi GL, Marchisio Paola Giovanna PG, Milani Gregorio Paolo GP, Miraglia Del Giudice Michele M et al.

Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the most widely used antipyretic agents in pediatric practice. Despite their common use, comparative evidence on their relative efficacy in febrile children remains heterogeneous, and clinical recommendations vary across guidelines and countries. We aimed to evaluate the comparative antipyretic efficacy of ibuprofen versus acetaminophen in febrile children through a systematic review and meta-analysis restricted to randomized controlled trials. A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science using a predefined strategy combining terms for ibuprofen, paracetamol/acetaminophen, fever/febrile/pyrexia, and pediatric populations. The primary outcome was the proportion of children afebrile at 4 h. Continuous outcomes included temperature reduction at 4 h, time without fever during the first 4 h, and time-weighted summary temperature differences over 0-8 h. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261353471). A total of 479 records were identified; after duplicate removal and screening, seven studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. For the primary outcome of afebrile status at 4 h, the pooled risk ratio was 1.26 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88-1.80; p = 0.106). Temperature reduction at 4 h was significantly greater with ibuprofen (mean difference 0.31 °C, p = 0.024). The time-weighted summary temperature outcome over 0-8 h numerically favored ibuprofen but did not reach statistical significance (mean difference - 3.52, 95% CI - 21.24 to 14.21; p = 0.240; I2 = 57.6%). An exploratory standardized mean difference analysis across heterogeneous continuous outcomes (seven comparisons) yielded a near-null pooled effect (Hedges' g - 0.08, 95% CI - 0.40 to 0.25; p = 0.645; I2 = 84.0%). The primary outcome-the proportion of children achieving afebrile status at 4 h-did not differ significantly between ibuprofen and acetaminophen (risk ratio 1.26, 95% CI 0.88-1.80; p = 0.106). Ibuprofen produced a statistically greater reduction in temperature at 4 h compared with acetaminophen (mean difference 0.31 °C), although this difference is unlikely to be clinically meaningful. These findings suggest a marginal quantitative advantage of ibuprofen to decrease body temperature, without a clinically significant difference between the two agents.

PMID 42870135
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PubMedThe journal of pediatric pharmacology and therapeutics : JPPT : the official journal of PPAG2026-10-13

Safety of Intravenous Ibuprofen Administration in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Corredera Silvia Cerezo SC, Garcia Mikel Olabarri MO, Díaz Cristina Lillo CL, Benito Javier J et al.

Intravenous (IV) ibuprofen has recently been approved for treating moderate acute pain and fever, but evidence in pediatric use remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term safety of IV ibuprofen in children treated in a pediatric emergency department (PED). A prospective observational study was conducted including children aged 6 months to younger than 14 years who received IV ibuprofen between January 2021 and September 2023 in a PED of a tertiary hospital. IV ibuprofen was administered for moderate acute pain or fever when oral administration was not feasible due to vomiting or the need for fasting before a potential surgical intervention. Physicians documented patient history, previous analgesia, reasons for consultation and IV ibuprofen administration, vital signs, pain scores (0-10) before and 10 minutes after administration, and any adverse events (AEs). We included 287 patients, with a median age of 9 years (IQR, 6-11). No serious AEs occurred, and no hospital admissions were required due to IV ibuprofen. Mild AEs occurred in 15 patients (5.2%), most commonly transient pain or itching at the infusion site. One patient developed a mild skin rash leading to treatment discontinuation, with complete recovery. Pain scores showed a median reduction of 3 points (IQR, 2-4). Short-term use of IV ibuprofen in the PED was associated with an acceptable safety profile and clinically relevant pain reduction. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings and to evaluate safety with repeated dosing or longer duration of use.

PMID 42866619
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PubMedInternational journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology2026-10-13

Celecoxib as a non-inferior alternative to ibuprofen in post-tonsillectomy pain and bleeding control.

Maulsby Lexy L, Phillips Mitchell M, Evans Adele A

Post-tonsillectomy pain represents the major morbidity of the procedure, contributing to poor oral intake, dehydration, and hemorrhage. Ibuprofen, a non-selective cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor, is commonly used for post-operative analgesia but demonstrates potent platelet inhibition. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, preserves platelet function while providing anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Pediatric use remains limited. To evaluate celecoxib postoperative outcomes as comparable to ibuprofen regarding pain, dehydration, and hemorrhage in pediatric tonsillectomy patients. An IRB-approved retrospective cohort study of tonsillectomies performed between January 1 to December 31, 2024 and treated with ibuprofen or celecoxib. Patients ≤18 years old who underwent tonsillectomy were identified using CPT® codes 42820, 42821, 42825, and 42826. Exclusion criteria included prior tonsillar surgery, concomitant procedures other than adenoidectomy, bleeding disorders, and opioid or alternative NSAID use. Patients were grouped by immediate post-operative analgesic regimen: celecoxib or ibuprofen. Outcomes included postoperative pain, dehydration, hemorrhage, and reoperation for bleeding. A total of 1144 patients were included (celecoxib N = 157, ibuprofen N = 987). Overall complication rates were 3.2% in the celecoxib group and 7.1% in the ibuprofen group. No statistically significant differences were observed in pain (RR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.04-2.01), dehydration (RR, 1.72; 95% CI, 0.48-6.08), hemorrhage (RR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.07-1.22), or return to the operating room (RR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.05-2.60). Celecoxib demonstrated post-operative safety outcomes comparable to ibuprofen. Some parents noted practical benefits. It may represent a safe non-opioid alternative for pediatric tonsillectomy pain management.

PMID 42868944
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PubMedJournal of biomaterials science. Polymer edition2026-10-13

Bioinspired chondroitin sulfate/poly(levodopa) hydrogels as photothermal platforms for NIR controlled drug release and cartilage tissue engineering.

Obando Hurtado Kelly K, Salazar Salas Brianda M BM, González-González Arely M AM, Rodríguez Félix Dora E DE et al.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels capable of combining tissue regeneration with on-demand drug delivery represent an attractive strategy for cartilage repair. In this work, bioinspired chondroitin sulfate/poly(levodopa) (CS/P(L-DOPA)) hydrogels were prepared through EDC/NHS-mediated self-crosslinking of CS followed by the in situ polymerization of L-DOPA to generate a secondary eumelanin photothermal network. The hydrogels were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, swelling measurements, SEM, photothermal performance, NIR-triggered ibuprofen release, cytocompatibility, and chondrogenic differentiation assays. The incorporation of P(L-DOPA) preserved the interconnected porous morphology while reducing equilibrium swelling under physiological conditions through additional intermolecular interactions. CS/P(L-DOPA) hydrogels exhibited an efficient photothermal conversion upon NIR irradiation, reaching temperatures of 43-46 °C. NIR irradiation promotes the ibuprofen release from the hydrogels, demonstrating remote-controlled drug delivery. In vitro studies confirmed cell viabilities above 80% in L-929 fibroblasts and dental pulp stem cells, while cytoskeletal staining revealed enhanced cell organization. Safranin O and Alcian Blue staining showed an increase in glycosaminoglycan- and proteoglycan-rich extracellular matrix deposition, consistent with a chondrogenic response of the stem cells. These findings demonstrate the potential of CS/P(L-DOPA) hydrogels as a multifunctional platform for NIR-controlled drug delivery and cartilage tissue engineering.

PMID 42867120
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PubMedRevista peruana de medicina experimental y salud publica2026-10-13

Hampi Tariki Kit: thin-layer chromatography for semiquantitative screening of solid oral medicines in Peru.

Mónico-Rosales Gladys M GM, Mostacero-Rodríguez Fredy R FR, Quispe-Paitán B Rosa BR, Rodríguez-Calzado E Javier EJ et al.

To develop and validate rapid thin-layer chromatography (TLC) methods integrated into the Hampi Tariki kit for the semiquantitative screening of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in oral solid medications marketed in Peru. Eight TLC methods were developed and validated for tablets and capsules containing acyclovir, dicloxacillin, dimenhydrinate, ibuprofen, diclofenac sodium, paracetamol, norfloxacin, phenazopyridine hydrochloride, chlorphenamine maleate, and phenylephrine hydrochloride. Fifty-seven commercial samples available in the national market, from different manufacturing laboratories, including branded and generic products previously verified as compliant by official methods at the Centro Nacional de Control de Calidad (CNCC) of the Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS), were evaluated. Silica gel 60 F254 plates, reference standards, and analytical grade solvents were used. Validation was performed according to ICH Q2(R1) guideline, evaluating selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, visual detection limit, and robustness. The methods allowed for visual and densitometric differentiation of levels equivalent to 80%, 100%, and 120% of the declared content. Retention factor (Rf ) values were between 0.20 and 0.85, and multicomponent formulations presented chromatographic resolution ≥1.0. Correlation coefficients were greater than 0.99 for system and method linearity; repeatability showed coefficients of variation less than 3.0%, intermediate precision less than 5.0%, and bias against high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) remained within the ±3.00% range. Deliberate variations evaluated in robustness did not produce significant changes in Rf values. The developed methods demonstrated adequate analytical performance as rapid semiquantitative screening tests. Integrated into the Hampi Tariki kit, they constitute a proposal with potential to support the preliminary identification of suspicious samples and prioritize their confirmation by HPLC or other official methods.

PMID 42867952
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PubMedJournal of multidisciplinary healthcare2026-10-13

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain and Analgesic Use Among Undergraduate Dental Students in Iraq: A Multi-Institutional Cross-Sectional Study.

Al-Hasani Noor R NR, Ibrahim Ali I AI, Al Haidar Aseel Haidar M J AHMJ, Hussein Ayat M AM et al.

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal pain (WMSP), analgesic use practices, pharmacological knowledge, attitudes toward unsupervised analgesic use, and ergonomic/non-pharmacological behaviors in this cohort. An online questionnaire was sent to third- to fifth-year Iraqi dental students using WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram platforms. The link was shared three times weekly during March-May 2026. The survey collected sociodemographic data, musculoskeletal pain experience, analgesic use patterns (especially non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol), pharmacological knowledge, attitudes toward unsupervised analgesic use, and ergonomic/non-pharmacological behaviors. Skip logic was applied to direct pain-related and analgesic-use items to eligible participants only. Out of 1081 collected responses, 791 dental students reported WMSP (73.2%; 95% CI: 70.5-75.8). A significantly higher prevalence of WMSP was recorded among female students than among male students (75.3% vs 68.7%; p = 0.020), and WMSP prevalence differed significantly across academic years, ranging from 66.3% among 3rd-year to 77.5% among 5th-year respondents (p = 0.001). The most commonly reported affected areas were neck, lower back, and shoulders, with prevalences of 58.4%, 53.9%, and 42.2%, respectively. About half of students with WMSP used analgesics, mainly paracetamol (46.9%) and ibuprofen (33.6%). Analgesic users demonstrated lower knowledge and safer-attitude scores than non-users (both p ≤ 0.002). The multivariable analysis revealed that higher analgesic-related pharmacological knowledge was independently associated with lower odds of analgesic use (OR = 0.828, 95% CI: 0.793-0.864; p < 0.001). A high prevalence of WMSP was reported among Iraqi dental undergraduates, with nearly half of affected students reporting analgesic use. Higher analgesic-related pharmacological knowledge was independently associated with lower odds of reported analgesic consumption. A combined approach utilizing ergonomic and pharmacological education may promote better pain-management behaviors and safer analgesic use; however, longitudinal or interventional studies are needed to evaluate its effectiveness.

PMID 42866211
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