What Is Ibuprofen?

• Ibuprofen is the active ingredient in such well-known brands as Advil, Motrin, Motrin IB, Midol, Profen, Cap-Profen, Haltran, IBU and Genpril, all of which are considered a part of the class of drugs called NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). They consist of non-opioid pain relievers that help the body treat the prostaglandins that aid pain receptors in passing messages of pain to the brain.
  
  

Effects

• Ibuprofen can have serious side effects and cause long-term liver problems, and an overdose could cause the liver to function poorly or cause it to be inflamed. This inflammation, called hepatitis, can persist long after the ibuprofen has left the body. These side effects are relatively rare but are reported in some patients. Furthermore, those patients who already suffer from liver problems should not take ibuprofen without consulting a physician.
  
  

Symptoms

• Symptoms associated with liver damage induced by ibuprofen include fatigue, nausea, itchiness, tenderness in the lower areas of the rib cage, yellowing (of the eyes or skin) and flu-like symptoms.
  
  

Hepatitis C

• Approximately four million Americans are currently infected with hepatitis C, and doctors warn that even small, over-the-counter doses of ibuprofen can cause damage to the health of these patients. A Penn State University study demonstrated that hepatitis C patients who took ibuprofen suffered a tenfold increase in liver enzymes in their blood, which suggests extreme liver damage. While patients can generally live normal lives with hepatitis C, ingesting the wrong medication can turn it into cirrhosis of the liver.
  
  

The Effect

• The liver's function is to process drugs into usable forms. Overdosing on ibuprofen, or taking ibuprofen when the liver is already weakened, can further damage the liver's ability to function.