Historical Background of Ibuprofen

Ibuprofen was invented in 1969, the same year as a few other revolutionary inventions.  These included the Arpanet (the prototype for the modern internet), the artificial heart, ATM machines, the barcode scanner, invitro fertilization, and Unix, (the computer operating system). 

It was not until 1984 that the FDA approved the sale of Ibuprofen as an over-the-counter drug.  Previously, it had only been able to be obtained with a prescription.  A year before, in 1983, the FDA had banned phenacetin, another pain-killer because it caused kidney and blood damage.   The laboratory that manufactures Ibuprofen (Whitehall Laboratories), decided to make the pills brown for identification purposes.  It was named for the seminal fluid and prostate tissue in which it was discovered.

  This drug is important because it replaces its more dangerous relative, aspirin.  Aspirin causes stomach distress in 2-10% of users, as well as affecting the blood's ability to clot.  Reye's syndrome, another serious side effect of aspirin, affects children recovering from chicken pox or flu, causing confusion, irritability, nausea, and sometimes death.  So, Ibuprofen acts like aspirin by blocking prostaglandins, which play a major role in sensing pain.  In addition, it controls inflammation and fever.

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