THE EFFECT OF IBUPROFEN ON PLATELET FUNCTION IN VIVO

Abstract

Effects of Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, on platelet function were studied. Similar to aspirin, Ibuprofen inhibited both platelet release reaction and aggregation in vitro. However, the alteration of platelet function induced by the administration of a therapeutic dose of Ibuprofen in vivo was observed after 2 hours of its administration and disappeared usually within 24 hours. Aspirin-induced changes in platelet function have been known to continue as long as 7 days after a single dosage of aspirin. Prolongation of bleeding time was also noted with Ibuprofen. The platelet dysfunction thus induced by Ibuprofen was easily restored by washing the platelets in vitro, while aspirin-induced one remained unchanged by the same procedure. These results may suggest that Ibuprofen is responsible for easy bruises in its users and the mechanism by which induces the platelet dys-function is somewhat different from that by aspirin.