Clinical data | |
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Pronunciation | /nəˈprɒksən/ |
Trade names | Aleve,Naprosyn,others [1] [2] |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a681029 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 95% (by mouth) |
Protein binding | 99% |
Metabolism | Liver (to 6-desmethylnaproxen) |
Elimination half-life | 12–17 hours (adults) [7] |
Excretion | Kidney |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.040.747 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C14H14O3 |
Molar mass | 230.263 g·mol−1 |
3D model (JSmol) | |
Melting point | 152–154 °C (306–309 °F) |
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Naproxen, sold under the brand name Aleve among others, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain, menstrual cramps, and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and fever. [8] It is taken orally. [8] It is available in immediate and delayed release formulations. [8] Onset of effects is within an hour and lasts for up to twelve hours. [8] Naproxen is also available in salt form, naproxen sodium, which has better solubility when taken orally. [9]
Common side effects include dizziness, headache, bruising, allergic reactions, heartburn, and stomach pain. [8] Severe side effects include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, and stomach ulcers. [8] The heart disease risk may be lower than with other NSAIDs. [8] It is not recommended in people with kidney problems. [8] Use is not recommended in the third trimester of pregnancy. [8]
Naproxen is a nonselective COX inhibitor. [8] As an NSAID, naproxen appears to exert its anti-inflammatory action by reducing the production of inflammatory mediators called prostaglandins. [10] It is metabolized by the liver to inactive metabolites. [8]
Naproxen was patented in 1967, and approved for medical use in the United States in 1976. [11] [8] [12] In the United States it is available over the counter and as a generic medication. [8] [13] In 2022, it was the 88th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 7 million prescriptions. [14] [15]
Naproxen's medical uses are related to its mechanism of action as an anti-inflammatory compound. [11] Naproxen is used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions and symptoms that are due to excessive inflammation, such as pain and fever (naproxen has fever-reducing, or antipyretic, properties in addition to its anti-inflammatory activity). [11] Naproxen's anti-inflammatory properties may relieve pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as migraine, osteoarthritis, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, menstrual cramps, tendinitis, and bursitis. [1]
Naproxen sodium is used as a "bridge therapy" in medication-overuse headache to slowly take patients off other medications. [16]
Naproxen sodium is available as both an immediate release and as an extended release tablet. The extended release formulations (sometimes called "sustained release", or "enteric coated") take longer to take effect than the immediate release formulations, and therefore are less useful when immediate pain relief is desired. Extended release formulations are more useful for the treatment of chronic, or long-lasting, conditions, in which long-term pain relief is desirable. [17]
As with all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), naproxen use should be avoided in pregnancy due to the importance of prostaglandins in vascular and renal function in the fetus. NSAIDs should especially be avoided in the third trimester. Small amounts of naproxen are excreted in breast milk. [1] However, adverse effects are uncommon in infants breastfed from a mother taking naproxen. [18]
Common adverse effects include dizziness, drowsiness, headache, rash, bruising, and gastrointestinal upset. [11] [1] Heavy use is associated with increased risk of end-stage renal disease and kidney failure. [11] [19] Naproxen may cause muscle cramps in the legs in 3% of people. [20]
In October 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the drug label to be updated for all nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to describe the risk of kidney problems in unborn babies that result in low amniotic fluid. [21] [22] They recommend avoiding NSAIDs in pregnant women at 20 weeks or later in pregnancy. [21] [22]
As with other non-COX-2 selective NSAIDs, naproxen can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, ulcers and stomach bleeding. [23] Naproxen should be taken orally with, or just after food, to decrease the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. [24] Persons with a history of ulcers or inflammatory bowel disease should consult a doctor before taking naproxen. [24] In U.S. markets, naproxen is sold with boxed warnings about the risk of gastrointestinal ulceration or bleeding. [1] Naproxen poses an intermediate risk of stomach ulcers compared with ibuprofen, which is low-risk, and indometacin, which is high-risk. [25] To reduce stomach ulceration risk, it is often combined with a proton-pump inhibitor (a medication that reduces stomach acid production) during long-term treatment of those with pre-existing stomach ulcers or a history of developing stomach ulcers while on NSAIDs. [26] [27]
COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs have been linked to increases in the number of serious and potentially fatal cardiovascular events, such as myocardial infarctions and strokes. [28] Naproxen is, however, associated with the smallest overall cardiovascular risks. [29] [30] Cardiovascular risk must be considered when prescribing any nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The drug had roughly 50% of the associated risk of stroke compared with ibuprofen, and was also associated with a reduced number of myocardial infarctions compared with control groups. [29]
A study found that high-dose naproxen induced near-complete suppression of platelet thromboxane throughout the dosing interval and appeared not to increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, whereas other non-aspirin high-dose NSAID regimens had only transient effects on platelet COX-1 and were associated with a small but definite vascular hazard. Conversely, naproxen was associated with higher rates of upper gastrointestinal bleeding complications compared with other NSAIDs. [30]
Naproxen may interact with antidepressants, lithium, methotrexate, probenecid, warfarin and other blood thinners, heart or blood pressure medications, including diuretics, or steroid medicines such as prednisone. [1]
NSAIDs such as naproxen may interfere with and reduce the efficacy of SSRI antidepressants, [31] as well as increase the risk of bleeding greater than the individual bleeding risk of either class of agent, when taken together. [32] Naproxen is not contraindicated in the presence of SSRIs, though concomitant use of the medications should be done with caution. [32] Alcohol consumption increases the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding when combined with NSAIDs like naproxen in a dose-dependent manner (that is, the higher the dose of naproxen, the higher the risk of bleeding). [33] The risk is highest for people who are heavy drinkers. [33]
Naproxen works by reversibly inhibiting both the COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes as a non-selective coxib. [34] [35] [36] [37] [38]
Naproxen is a minor substrate of CYP1A2 and CYP2C9. It is extensively metabolized in the liver to 6-O-desmethylnaproxen, and both the parent drug and the desmethyl metabolite undergo further metabolism to their respective acylglucuronide conjugated metabolites. [39] An analysis of two clinical trials shows that naproxen's time to peak plasma concentration occurs between 2 and 4 hours after oral administration, though naproxen sodium reaches peak plasma concentrations within 1–2 hours. [7] [ clarification needed ]
The pharmacogenetics of naproxen has been studied in an effort to better understand its adverse effects. [40] In 1998, a small pharmacokinetic (PK) study failed to show that differences in a patient's ability to clear naproxen from the body could account for differences in a patient's risk of experiencing the adverse effect of a serious gastrointestinal bleed while taking naproxen. [40] However, the study failed to account for differences in the activity of CYP2C9, a drug-metabolizing enzyme that is necessary for clearing naproxen. [40] Studies on the relationship between CYP2C9 genotype and NSAID-induced gastrointestinal bleeds have shown that genetic variants in CYP2C9 that reduce the clearance of major CYP2C9 substrates (like naproxen) increase the risk of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal bleeds, especially for homozygous defective variants. [40]
Naproxen is a member of the 2-arylpropionic acid (profen) family of NSAIDs. [41] The free acid is an odorless, white to off-white crystalline substance.[ citation needed ] Naproxen free base is lipid-soluble and practically insoluble in water, while naproxen sodium and many other salts are freely soluble in water, often soluble in methanol, and sparingly soluble in alcohol; check the specific solubility of each salt before use. Naproxen has a melting point of 152–155 °C, while naproxen salts tend to have higher melting points.[ citation needed ]
Naproxen has been industrially produced by Syntex starting from 2-naphthol as follows: [42]
Naproxen and naproxen sodium are marketed under various brand names, including Accord, Aleve, Anaprox, Antalgin, Apranax, Feminax Ultra, Flanax, Inza, Maxidol, Nalgesin, Naposin, Naprelan, Naprogesic, Naprosyn, Narocin, Pronaxen, Proxen, and Soproxen. [2] It is also available as the combination naproxen/esomeprazole magnesium in delayed release tablets under the brand name Vimovo. [2] [43]
Syntex first marketed naproxen in 1976, as the prescription drug Naprosyn. They first marketed naproxen sodium under the brand name Anaprox in 1980. It remains a prescription-only drug in much of the world.[ citation needed ] In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug in 1994. OTC preparations of naproxen in the U.S. are mainly marketed by Bayer HealthCare under the brand name Aleve and generic store brand formulations in 220 mg tablets. [44] In Australia, packets of 275 mg tablets of naproxen sodium are Schedule 2 pharmacy medicines, with a maximum daily dose of five tablets or 1375 mg. In the United Kingdom, 250 mg tablets of naproxen were approved for OTC sale under the brand name Feminax Ultra in 2008, for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea in women aged 15 to 50. [45] In the Netherlands, 220 mg and 275 mg tablets are available OTC in drugstores, 550 mg is OTC only at pharmacies. Aleve became available over the counter in some provinces in Canada [46] on 14 July 2009, but not British Columbia, Quebec or Newfoundland and Labrador; [47] it subsequently became available OTC in British Columbia in January 2010. [48]
Naproxen was one of the four substances named in the prosecution of Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories (IBT) for fraudulent toxicology testing. [49] Naproxen passed subsequent legitimate toxicology testing.[ citation needed ]
Naproxen has been found in groundwater and drinking water in concentrations high enough to have adverse effects on invertebrates including fungi, algae, bacteria and fishes. [50] Naproxen is not thoroughly removed by conventional water treatment methods, [51] and its degradation pathways in the environment are limited. [52] [53] Some methods more successfully remove naproxen from wastewater, including metal-organic complexes and porous carbon. [54] Although the levels are generally low enough to not be acutely toxic, sub-lethal effects may still occur, [55] such as reduced photosynthetic ability. [56]
Naproxen may have antiviral activity against influenza. In laboratory research, it blocks the RNA-binding groove of the nucleoprotein of the virus, preventing formation of the ribonucleoprotein complex—thus taking the viral nucleoproteins out of circulation. [57]
Naproxen is given by mouth to horses at a dose of 10 mg/kg, and has shown to have a wide safety margin (no toxicity when given at three times the recommended dose for 42 days). [58] It is more effective for myositis than the commonly used NSAID phenylbutazone, and has shown especially good results for treatment of equine exertional rhabdomyolysis, [59] a disease of muscle breakdown; it is less commonly used for musculoskeletal disease.[ medical citation needed ]
Aspirin, also known as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation, and as an antithrombotic. Specific inflammatory conditions that aspirin is used to treat include Kawasaki disease, pericarditis, and rheumatic fever.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are members of a therapeutic drug class which reduces pain, decreases inflammation, decreases fever, and prevents blood clots. Side effects depend on the specific drug, its dose and duration of use, but largely include an increased risk of gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeds, heart attack, and kidney disease.
An antipyretic is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which results in a reduction in fever.
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is used to relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. This includes painful menstrual periods, migraines, and rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be used to close a patent ductus arteriosus in a premature baby. It can be taken orally or intravenously. It typically begins working within an hour.
Cyclooxygenase (COX), officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), is an enzyme that is responsible for biosynthesis of prostanoids, including thromboxane and prostaglandins such as prostacyclin, from arachidonic acid. A member of the animal-type heme peroxidase family, it is also known as prostaglandin G/H synthase. The specific reaction catalyzed is the conversion from arachidonic acid to prostaglandin H2 via a short-living prostaglandin G2 intermediate.
Diclofenac, sold under the brand name Voltaren among others, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain and inflammatory diseases such as gout. It can be taken orally, inserted rectally as a suppository, injected intramuscularly, injected intravenously, applied to the skin topically, or through eye drops. Improvements in pain last up to eight hours. It is also available as the fixed-dose combination diclofenac/misoprostol (Arthrotec) to help protect the stomach.
Rofecoxib is a COX-2-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It was marketed by Merck & Co. to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, acute pain conditions, migraine, and dysmenorrhea. Rofecoxib was approved in the US by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 1999, and was marketed under the brand names Vioxx, Ceoxx, and Ceeoxx. Rofecoxib was available by prescription in both tablets and as an oral suspension.
Celecoxib, sold under the brand name Celebrex among others, is a COX-2 inhibitor and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to treat the pain and inflammation in osteoarthritis, acute pain in adults, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, painful menstruation, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It may also be used to decrease the risk of colorectal adenomas in people with familial adenomatous polyposis. It is taken by mouth. Benefits are typically seen within an hour.
Anti-inflammatory or antiphlogistic is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs remedy pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system to block pain signaling to the brain.
Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors, also known as coxibs, are a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that directly target cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain. Targeting selectivity for COX-2 reduces the risk of peptic ulceration and is the main feature of celecoxib, rofecoxib, and other members of this drug class.
Nimesulide is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with pain medication and fever reducing properties. Its approved indications are the treatment of acute pain, the symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis, and primary dysmenorrhoea in adolescents and adults above 12 years old.
Meloxicam, sold under the brand name Mobic among others, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain and inflammation in rheumatic diseases and osteoarthritis. It is used by mouth or by injection into a vein. It is recommended that it be used for as short a period as possible and at a low dose.
Ketorolac, sold under the brand name Toradol among others, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain. Specifically it is recommended for moderate to severe pain. Recommended duration of treatment is less than six days, and in Switzerland not more than seven days. It is used by mouth, by nose, by injection into a vein or muscle, and as eye drops. Effects begin within an hour and last for up to eight hours. Ketorolac also has antipyretic (fever-reducing) properties.
Carprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the carbazole and propionic acid class that was previously for use in humans and animals but is now only available to veterinarians for prescribing as a supportive treatment for various conditions in animals. Carprofen reduces inflammation by inhibition of COX-1 and COX-2; its specificity for COX-2 varies from species to species. Marketed under many brand names worldwide, carprofen is used as a treatment for inflammation and pain, including joint pain and postoperative pain.
Diflunisal is a salicylic acid derivative with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity. It was developed by Merck Sharp & Dohme in 1971, as MK647, after showing promise in a research project studying more potent chemical analogs of aspirin. It was first sold under the brand name Dolobid, marketed by Merck & Co., but generic versions are now widely available. It is classed as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and is available in 250 mg and 500 mg tablets.
Deracoxib is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the coxib class, used in dogs to treat pain associated with osteoarthritis, or to prevent pain following orthopedic or dental surgery. It is available as beef-flavored tablets.
Tenoxicam, sold under the brand name Mobiflex among others, is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to relieve inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis, bursitis, and periarthritis of the shoulders or hips.
Naproxcinod (nitronaproxen) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) developed by the French pharmaceutical company NicOx. It is a derivative of naproxen with a nitroxybutyl ester to allow it to also act as a nitric oxide (NO) donor. This second mechanism of action makes naproxcinod the first in a new class of drugs, the cyclooxygenase inhibiting nitric oxide donators (CINODs), that are hoped to produce similar analgesic efficacy to traditional NSAIDs, but with less gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side effects.
Ibuprofen/famotidine, sold under the brand name Duexis, is a fixed-dose combination medication used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It contains ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and famotidine, a histamine H2-receptor antagonist.
Naproxen/pseudoephedrine, sold under the brand name Aleve-D among others, is a fixed-dose combination medication used for the treatment of nasal congestion and other symptoms of the common cold. It contains naproxen, as the sodium salt, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID); and pseudoephedrine, as the hydrochloride, a nasal decongestant.