Source: Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (GB) Revision Year: 2018 Publisher: Accord Healthcare Limited, Sage House, 319 Pinner Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4HF, United Kingdom
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products, nonsteroids; propionic acid derivatives
ATC code: M01AE01
Ibuprofen belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It contains the propionic acid derivative p-isobutyl-hydrothropic acid. Ibuprofen has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects. The anti-phlogistic effect is comparable with that of acetylsalicylic acid and indometacin. The pharmacological effect of ibuprofen is probably associated with its ability to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis. Ibuprofen prolongs bleeding time through reversible inhibition of platelet aggregation.
Experimental data suggest that ibuprofen may competitively inhibit the effect of low dose acetylsalicylic acid on platelet aggregation when they are dosed concomitantly. Some pharmacodynamic studies show that when single doses of ibuprofen 400 mg were taken within 8 h before or within 30 min after immediate release acetylsalicylic acid dosing (81 mg), a decreased effect of acetylsalicylic acid on the formation of thromboxane or platelet aggregation occurred. Although there are uncertainties regarding extrapolation of these data to the clinical situation, the possibility that regular, long-term use of ibuprofen may reduce the cardioprotective effect of low-dose acetylsalicylic acid cannot be excluded. No clinically relevant effect is considered to be likely for occasional ibuprofen use (see section 4.5).
Ibuprofen inhibits renal prostaglandin synthesis. In patients with normal renal function this effect is of no particular significance. In patients with chronic renal insufficiency, decompensated heart or liver insufficiency as well as conditions involving changes in plasma volume, the inhibited prostaglandin synthesis can lead to acute renal insufficiency, fluid retention and heart failure (see section 4.3).
Ibuprofen is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract with a bioavailability of 80-90%. Peak serum concentrations occur one to two hours after administration. If administered with food, peak serum concentrations are lower and achieved more slowly than when taken on an empty stomach Food does not affect markedly total bioavailability.
Ibuprofen is extensively bound to plasma proteins (99%). Ibuprofen has a small volume of distribution being about 0.12-0.2 L/kg in adults.
Ibuprofen is rapidly metabolized in the liver through cytochrome P450, preferentially CYP2C9, to two primary inactive metabolites, 2-hydroxyibuprofen and 3-carboxyibuprofen. Following oral ingestion of the drug, slightly less than 90% of an oral dose of ibuprofen can be accounted for in the urine as oxidative metabolites and their glucuronic conjugates. Very little ibuprofen is excreted unchanged in the urine.
Excretion by the kidney is both rapid and complete. The elimination half-life is approximately 2 hours. The excretion of ibuprofen is virtually complete 24 hours after the last dose.
Given that no renal impairment exists, there are only small, clinically insignificant differences in the pharmacokinetic profile and urinary excretion between young and elderly.
The systemic exposure of ibuprofen following weight adjusted therapeutic dosage (5mg/kg to 10 mg/kg bodyweight) in children aged 1 year or over, appears similar to that in adults.
Children 3 months to 2.5 years appeared to have a higher volume of distribution (L/kg) and clearance (L/kg/h) of ibuprofen than did children >2.5 to 12 years of age.
For patients with mild renal impairment increased unbound (S)-ibuprofen, higher AUC values for (S)-ibuprofen and increased enantiomeric AUC (S/R) ratios as compared with healthy controls have been reported.
In end-stage renal disease patients receiving dialysis the mean free fraction of ibuprofen was about 3% compared with about 1% in healthy volunteers. Severe impairment of renal function may result in accumulation of ibuprofen metabolites. The significance of this effect is unknown. The metabolites can be removed by haemodialysis (see sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4).
Alcoholic liver disease with mild to moderate hepatic impairment did not result in substantially altered pharmacokinetic parameters.
In cirrhotic patients with moderate hepatic impairment (Child Pugh’s score 6-10) treated with racemic ibuprofen an average 2-fold prolongation of the half-life was observed and the enantiomeric AUC ratio (S/R) was significantly lower compared to healthy controls suggesting an impairment of metabolic inversion of ®-ibuprofen to the active (S)-enantiomer (see sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4).
There are no preclinical data of relevance for the safety assessment, apart from what has already been taken into account in this summary of product characteristics.
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