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What are the primary metabolic pathways for the drug ibuprofen in the body, and how do these pathways affect the drug's duration of action and potential side effects?

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Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug  NSAID  commonly used to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and lower fever. The primary metabolic pathways for ibuprofen in the body are:1. Oxidation: The primary metabolic pathway for ibuprofen is oxidation, which occurs mainly in the liver. The cytochrome P450  CYP  enzyme system, specifically CYP2C9 and CYP2C8, is responsible for the oxidative metabolism of ibuprofen. This process results in the formation of several inactive metabolites, including hydroxylated and carboxylated derivatives.2. Conjugation: A minor metabolic pathway for ibuprofen is conjugation with glucuronic acid, which also occurs in the liver. This process forms ibuprofen glucuronide, which is an inactive metabolite.These metabolic pathways affect the drug's duration of action and potential side effects in the following ways:Duration of action: The half-life of ibuprofen is approximately 2 to 4 hours, which means that the drug is metabolized and eliminated from the body relatively quickly. The duration of action for a single dose of ibuprofen is typically around 4 to 6 hours, depending on the individual's metabolism and other factors. The rapid metabolism of ibuprofen contributes to its relatively short duration of action.Potential side effects: The metabolism of ibuprofen by the CYP enzyme system can lead to drug-drug interactions if other medications that are also metabolized by the same enzymes are taken concurrently. This can result in altered levels of either ibuprofen or the other medication, potentially increasing the risk of side effects or reducing the effectiveness of either drug.Additionally, the metabolism of ibuprofen in the liver can contribute to the potential for hepatotoxicity  liver damage , although this is a rare side effect. The conjugation pathway, which forms ibuprofen glucuronide, can also lead to the formation of an acyl glucuronide metabolite, which has been associated with gastrointestinal side effects such as ulcers and bleeding.In summary, the primary metabolic pathways for ibuprofen are oxidation and conjugation, which occur mainly in the liver. These pathways affect the drug's duration of action and potential side effects by influencing the rate at which the drug is metabolized and eliminated from the body, as well as by contributing to the formation of potentially harmful metabolites.
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