Dr Stewart Adams knew he had found a potential new painkiller when it cured his hangover [宿醉后的头痛及恶心反应] ahead of an important speech.
It has since become one of the world's most popular painkillers [止痛药]. No medicine cupboard in the modern home is complete without [完全没有] some ibuprofen.
It all started with a 16-year-old boy from Northamptonshire started an apprenticeship [学徒期 ] in retail pharmacy [零售药房] at Boots.
This led to a degree in pharmacy at Nottingham University followed by a PhD in pharmacology at Leeds University, before he returned to the research department at Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd in 1952.
His mission at that time was to find a new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis [类风湿性关节炎] which was as effective as a steroid [类固醇] but without any of the side-effects [副作用].
"I did think we would succeed eventually - I always felt we would succeed."
A patent [专利] for ibuprofen was granted to Boots in 1962 and it was approved as a prescription drug [处方药] seven years later.
Read the full article
How does ibuprofen work?
It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug [非类固醇消炎药 ] or (NSAID). Because it has a different chemical structure to steroids, it is not as toxic.
It reduces [减少] pain by targeting compounds called prostaglandins which cause inflammation [发炎] in the body.
Inflammation can bring on swelling [ 肿胀 ], heat [发热 ], redness, loss of function [功能丧失 ], fever [发烧 ] and pain [疼痛 ].
The painkilling effect begins soon after a dose is taken, but it can take longer for the inflammation to reduce.
Ibuprofen's success has been in treating minor aches and pains [轻微的疼痛].
NHS Choices says it should be taken at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time because it can cause side-effects such as nausea and vomiting [副作用如恶心和呕吐].
TIMELINE FOR IBUPROFEN DISCOVERY
1950s - Work starts to find a drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis that has no side-effects
1958 - After hundreds of compounds are made and screened for activity, a compound called BTS 8402 is given a clinical trial but it is found to be no better than aspirin
1961 - A patent is filed for the compound 2-(4-isobutylphenyl) propionic acid - later called ibuprofen
1966 - Clinical trials of ibuprofen take place in Edinburgh and its anti-inflammatory effect is seen in patients
1969 - Ibuprofen is launched in the UK on prescription only
1983 - Ibuprofen becomes available over the counter because of its safety record
English
简体中文
