Clinical data | |
---|---|
Pronunciation | /nəˈprɒksən/ |
Trade names | Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox, Naprelan, Flanax, Aflaxen, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a681029 |
License data | |
Pregnancy category |
|
Routes of administration |
Oral |
ATC code | |
Legal status | |
Legal status |
|
Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 95% (oral) |
Protein binding | 99% |
Metabolism | Hepatic (to 6-desmethylnaproxen) |
Biological half-life | 12-17 hours (adults) |
Excretion | Renal |
Identifiers | |
|
|
CAS Number | |
PubChem CID | |
DrugBank | |
ChemSpider | |
UNII | |
KEGG | |
ChEBI | |
ChEMBL | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.040.747 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C14H14O3 |
Molar mass | 230.259 g/mol |
3D model (JSmol) | |
Melting point | 152–154 °C (306–309 °F) |
|
|
|
|
Naproxen (brand names: Aleve, Naprosyn, and many others) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) of the propionic acid class (the same class as ibuprofen) that relieves pain, fever, swelling, and stiffness. It is a nonselective COX inhibitor, usually sold as the sodium salt.
Naproxen poses an intermediate risk of stomach ulcers compared with ibuprofen, which is low-risk, and indometacin, which is high-risk. 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.
Naproxen's medical uses are related to its mechanism of action as an anti-inflammatory compound. 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). Notably, not all medications that reduce fever are anti-inflammatory compounds (such as paracetamol). Inflammatory sources of pain that may respond to naproxen's anti-inflammatory activity are conditions such as migraine, osteoarthritis, kidney stones, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, menstrual cramps, tendinitis and bursitis. It is also used to treat primary dysmenorrhea.