Celebrex is an FDA-approved drug for use as an anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and analgesic medication. It is indicated for use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. It is also used to treat acute pain syndromes and primary dysmenorrhea. A more recent addition is its use in easing symptoms of familial adenomatous polyposis (polyps of the large intestine).
Ingredients in Celebrex
The active ingredient in Celebrex is celecoxib, a sulfonamide derivative. By inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), Celebrex inhibits the synthesis of prostaglandins, thus blocking the sensation of pain, fever and inflammation.
Croscarmellose sodium is another ingredient in Celebrex capsules, added for its ability to enhance drug disintegration and absorption. It is a crosslinked methyl cellulose that absorbs a lot of water and aids the delivery of the active ingredients to the appropriate sites for absorption in the gut.
Lactose monohydrate and povidone are used together as fillers and diluents in the capsule, giving it a smooth, compressible powdery feel.
Magnesium stearate and sodium lauryl sulfate act as stabilizers in the compounding process.
Edible inks and titanium dioxide are used to provide coloring to the capsules while gelatin is used in the capsule covering.
Celebrex comes packaged in strengths of 100, 200 and 400 milligrams, dictating the amount of its active ingredient, celecoxib.
Side effects and adverse reactions.
Celebrex has fewer gastrointestinal side effects than other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The long-term risks of adverse cardiovascular events and fluid retention inherent in this group of drugs is also associated with the use of Celebrex. There are also concerns for the risk of life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding because of its NSAID classification. People sensitive to sulphonamides may also react to celecoxib.
precautions
Celebrex endured some adverse publicity when it was linked to certain adverse cardiocascular occurrences with some fatalities. These problems prompted the FDA to revise the safety rating and add a product warning saying that it should not be used in patients with recent coronary artery bypass grafts.
In addition, it also comes with the warning of possible gastrointestinal bleeding, common to all drugs in this class. It has since been found that the adverse cardiovascular events are indeed common, more or less, to all NSAID agents that do not inhibit platelet aggregation, as seen with aspirin.
