Nabumetone, a nonsteroidal compound of the naphthylalkanone class, helps reduce pain and swelling associated with inflammation. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, that belongs to the same category as common painkillers ibuprofen and diclofenac. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved nabumetone for human use in 1991.
Anti-Inflammatory Action
Nabumetone treats mild to moderate pains. It is a prodrug, which means a patient receives an inactive form and the medication then undergoes a chemical conversion by metabolic processes before it becomes an active pharmacological substance--called active metabolite. Nabumetone has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
Effects on Enzyme System
Nabumetone suppresses the cyclooxygenase enzyme, which is essential for producing prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are chemicals the body makes that are responsible for pain and inflammation. Nabumetone differs from many other anti-inflammatory cyclooxygenase inhibitors in that the enzyme system reactivates as the nabumetone levels in the body decrease. Many other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs permanently block cyclooxygenase enzymes and they re-synthesize in the body after drug levels decrease.
Other Actions
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, nabumetone has less chance of gastric irritation than either aspirin or indomethacin. The medicine is also thought to inhibit chemotaxis, or orientation of an organism or cell in relation to chemical agents. It may also alter lymphocyte activity, inhibit aggregation or activation of neutrophils, which are cells of the immune system. And it may decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine, or immunoregulatory protein levels. All of these actions either directly or indirectly reduce inflammation, and thus may be behind the medicine's mechanism of action.
As a Treatment
Nabumetone treats painful arthritis conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It has a long plasma half-life of 20 to 24 hours. Half-life refers to the amount of time required for half of a drug to be eliminated naturally. Nabumetone continues to exist in synovial fluid, which means arthritis patients can take one dose daily. It also serves as a fever reducer.
Negative Effects
Nabumetone should be used only with a doctor's prescription. According to HealthyOntario.com, people with high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart conditions should use the medicine with care. Excess use of nabumetone could cause sudden cardiac events such as heart attacks and arrhythmias, as seen with other NSAIDs. It also can adversely affect renal function, so patients with chronic renal insufficiency should not take it.
References
- MedicineNet.com: Nabumetone
- Merck Manuals: Nabumetone
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Efficacy and Tolerability of Nabumetone in the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee Joint: An Open Trial
- HealthyOntario: Apo-Nabumetone
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Tolerability of Nabumetone: A Pilot in Vitro Study Showing Absence of Injury to Articular Cartilage
