Study Gives Painkilling Nod to Ibuprofen Salt

A new form of ibuprofen relieves menstrual pain and crampingbetter than aspirin, reports Dr. Donald Mehlisch, medical director ofthe Biomedical Research Group in Austin, Texas.

Mehlisch, who is a dentist as well as a doctor, also found thenew form of ibuprofen worked faster and better than aspirin atrelieving pain after dental surgery.

The new formulation, known as ibuprofen salt, dissolves betterin water and is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream after it'staken, he said. "It has the same amount of painkilling effect asnormal ibuprofen, but works faster," Mehlisch said.

In the study of 70 women who took the ibuprofen salt, aspirin ora placebo for menstrual pain and cramping, those given the ibuprofensalt reported significantly greater pain relief, and waited more timebefore needing to take another dose of medication for relief, hesaid.

In the study of patients with dental pain, ibuprofen saltprovided relief in 45 minutes, compared with 59 minutes for aspirin,Mehlisch said.

The drug, which was launched in Europe about one year ago, isnow in the final stages of testing needed for U.S. Food and DrugAdministration aapproval.