Introduction to Ibuprofen:

Ibuprofen is widely used drug, which are just chemicals we pit in our bodies that can make physical or mental changes. In the case of Ibuprofen, it is used to decrease inflammation.

Ibuprofen, or RS-2-(4-(2 methylpropyl)phenyl)propanoic acid, is an organic molecule, and with organic molecules, a carbon may be bound to 4 different groups at the same time. When this happens, the molecule's chirality becomes important. Chirality is kind of like the left and right handedness of a molecule. The different versions of a molecule with chirality are called enantiomers. Enantiomers can be labeled either "S" or "R." 

Ibuprofen is labeled racemic, which means that it is a mixture of S and R enantiomers. However, the S version is the one that is more biologically active!

Usage / Significance:

When your body is fighting illness, or responding to a pathogen, you undergo inflammation. Inflammation increases blood flow and body temperature, and is triggered by the proteins prostaglandin and thromboxane. COX enzymes (cyclooxygenase enzymes) produce prostaglandins and thromboxanes from

arachidonic acid. Ibuprofen acts as a competitive inhibitor to arachidonic acid. This means that it takes up the space on the COX enzyme meant for arachidonic acid by mimicking it. This stops the prostaglandins and thrombaxanes from being produced, which stops inflammation from happening.

Ibuprofen is an NSAID (Non-steroidal anti infammatory drug). NSAIDs are used to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling, and fever. They can also be used to treat heart conditions and arthritis.

Fun Facts: 

• Our liver is capable of turning R enantiomers in to S enantiomers, which is why Ibuprofen can be racemic.

• People often take ibuprofen to treat sickness, but it doesn’t directly treat most causes of a fever. It also won’t effect bacterial or viral infections. If anything, your body is using the fever and inflammation to fight the illness, and inhibiting that fever may be bad.
  However, people take a pill, they eventually get better, and they say the pill must be what did it. 

• Overdosing on ibuprofen is probably an extremely painful way to end your life since it causes massive gastrointestinal bleeding.

• Ibuprofen was used experimentally to treat hangovers. 

• Ibuprofen should not be taken with alcohol, as both alcohol and ibuprofen can thin your blood. However, it is a common practice for people to take ibuprofen while they are drinking to treat the headache they are getting from drinking.

• Common names of Ibuprofen are Advil and Motrin.