Dexketoprofen is a
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is manufactured by
Menarini
The Menarini Group is an Italian pharmaceutical company. Its headquarters is in Florence, Tuscany, and it has three divisions: Menarini Ricerche, Menarini Biotech, and Menarini Diagnostics. It develops pharmacological solutions for cardiovascula ...
, under the tradename Keral. It is available in the
UK, as dexketoprofen trometamol, as a prescription-only drug and in Latin America as Enantyum, produced by Menarini. Also, in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
it is available as an
over-the-counter drug (OTC) under the trade name Enantyum. In Hungary it is available from a pharmacy as “Ketodex”. In
Latvia,
Lithuania and
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
it is available as an OTC under the tradename Dolmen
In Mexico it is available in tablet form as "Stadium" made by Menarini. It is the
dextrorotatory
Optical rotation, also known as polarization rotation or circular birefringence, is the rotation of the orientation of the plane of polarization about the optical axis of linearly polarized light as it travels through certain materials. Circul ...
stereoisomer
In stereochemistry, stereoisomerism, or spatial isomerism, is a form of isomerism in which molecules have the same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms (constitution), but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in ...
of
ketoprofen
Ketoprofen is one of the propionic acid class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) with analgesic and antipyretic effects. It acts by inhibiting the body's production of prostaglandin.
It was patented in 1967 and approved for medica ...
.
Chemistry
Dexketoprofen is the (''S'')-enantiomer of ketoprofen. Technically it is a
chiral switch The word "chiral switch" was introduced by Agranat and Caner in 1999. Chiral switches are chiral drugs that are already approved as racemates but that have been re-developed as single enantiomers. The term chiral switching has been coined to descr ...
of (±)-ketoprofen. The switch was done for a faster onset of action, a better therapeutic value.
Medical uses
Short-term treatment of mild to moderate
pain, including
dysmenorrhoea
Dysmenorrhea, also known as period pain, painful periods or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation. Its usual onset occurs around the time that menstruation begins. Symptoms typically last less than three days. The pain is usually in the ...
. It is also used for migraines and knee pain.
Side effects
It may cause dizziness, and patients should not, therefore, drive or operate heavy machinery or vehicles until they are familiar with how dexketoprofen affects them. Concomitant use of alcohol and other sedatives may potentiate this effect. In a small subset of individuals the dizziness may be intolerable and require transition to an alternative treatment.
Pharmacology
Dexketoprofen belongs to a class of medicines called NSAIDs. It works by blocking the action of a substance in the body called
cyclo-oxygenase
Cyclooxygenase (COX), officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), is an enzyme (specifically, a family of isozymes, ) that is responsible for formation of prostanoids, including thromboxane and prostaglandins such as prost ...
, which is involved in the production of chemicals in the body called
prostaglandins
The prostaglandins (PG) are a group of physiologically active lipid compounds called eicosanoids having diverse hormone-like effects in animals. Prostaglandins have been found in almost every tissue in humans and other animals. They are deriv ...
. Prostaglandins are produced in response to injury or certain diseases and would otherwise go on to cause swelling, inflammation and pain. By blocking cyclo-oxygenase, dexketoprofen prevents the production of prostaglandins and therefore reduces inflammation and pain. Along with peripheral analgesic action, it possesses central analgesic action.
See also
*
Chiral switch The word "chiral switch" was introduced by Agranat and Caner in 1999. Chiral switches are chiral drugs that are already approved as racemates but that have been re-developed as single enantiomers. The term chiral switching has been coined to descr ...
*
Enantiopure drug An enantiopure drug is a pharmaceutical that is available in one specific enantiomeric form. Most biological molecules (proteins, sugars, etc.) are present in only one of many chiral forms, so different enantiomers of a chiral drug molecule bind d ...
*
Chirality
References
{{Prostanoidergics
Propionic acids
Benzophenones
Enantiopure drugs
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs