Hey there guys, I'm Jesse Crowe, The Travelling Scientist
and today we're gonna be looking at Ibuprofen
How does it work, and is it safe to use on a regular basis?
Ibuprofen, also known as Motrin, Ibu, Neurofen...and like 50 other names
Is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug
used to treat things like inflammation, pain, fever, toothache, cramps, arthritis, whatever ails ya!
Basically, when the cells in your body are damaged
They release Arachidonic Acid, which gets converted by an enzyme called Cyclo-oxygenase
...or COX...
into Prostaglandins, and Prostaglandins promote things like pain, fever, inflammation...it's not good!
Now, Ibuprofen works to inhibit the Cox enzyme
Or in other words, it "Cox blocks" Arachidonic Acid
To prevent the production of Prostaglandins, thereby reducing pain and fever
This is really similar to how we think Paracetamol works
and I made a video about that, you can check it out
But the difference is that Ibuprofen has an anti-inflammatory effect that Paracetamol doesn't have
So it would be better for treating things like sore muscles and Arthritis
Ibuprofen also acts on the hypothalamus in your brain, causing Vasodilation
WORD OF THE DAY!!!
Vaso, meaning vessel, usually a blood vessel
and Dilation, meaning becoming wider, or constriction, meaning becoming narrower
So this Vasodilation brings the blood vessels closer to the surface of your skin
Cooling down your blood and thereby helping to reduce fever!
Finally, Cox also creates an enzyme called Thromboxane
Which makes the platelets in your blood vessels really sticky
They clump together forming blood clots
which can get lodged in your blood vessels, leading to things like
Pulmonary Embolism, Deep Vein Thrombosis, Myocardial Infarction...
Basically, you're gonna DIE!
So by inhibiting Cox, Ibuprofen actually reduces your risk of blood clot and pretty much saves you life!
Woah Woah Woah, it's not all drugs and smiles, all right!?
Ibuprofen can be pretty dangerous if it gets into the wrong hands...
Some of the common side effects of Ibuprofen include
Headache, which is totally counterintuitive... I mean they are used to treat headaches...?
Diarrhoea OR Constipation...
which also is completely counterintuitive they're two completely opposite symptoms...?
Nausea and Vomiting, which are common side effects in pretty much ANY drug
It's basically just your gut dealing with an unusual chemical which makes you feel a bit funny
Another possible side effect is itchiness, which could mean that you're allergic to the drug...
How much would that suck!?
I mean, you're in pain...and you're also allergic to the treatment!
Tough Break Five
Ibuprofen can even lead to stomach pain!
This is because Cox also maintains your Gastric Mucosa
I Know, I Know! Cox does a lot of stuff
I mean, there's Cox ALL over your body, doing all sorts of things
You don't wanna know!
This means that when Ibu Cox blocks
It damages the lining in your gut, which can lead to Gastro-Intestinal Bleeding
Stomach Blood...Gross!
Finally, if you're pregnant, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs like Ibuprofen and Aspirin
Can cross the Placenta, causing Neo-Natal adverse effects like Malformation and Miscarriage
So if you're pregnant, do NOT take Ibuprofen, do NOT take Aspirin
If you're in pain, please talk to your Doctor
Speaking of Pregnancy, next week's video is going to be all about "The Pill"
and how to AVOID pregnancy, so keep an eye out for that one!
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And let me know what you think of Ibuprofen in the Comments section down below
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I'll see you guys next time
Cheers!