Experimental Pain in Healthy Human Subjects

Abstract

In this study, we examined ibuprofen, a widely used nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, for its ability to reduce experimental pain. We found that it had such properties in healthy young male subjects but not in young female subjects. This is a paradox because many of the painful conditions for which nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs are used (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) occur more often in women.