SHEET /vs/meloxicam-vs-ibuprofen · COMPARISON
Meloxicam vs Ibuprofen: what is the difference?
How they differ
from source
Meloxicam is an NSAID like ibuprofen but leans toward COX-2, and it is dosed once a day where ibuprofen is dosed through the day, because it lingers far longer in the body. The structures are not close: meloxicam is an oxicam built on a thiazine ring with a sulfur-containing core, while ibuprofen is a small propionic acid on a benzene ring, and the weights differ accordingly at 351.4 against 206.28. Meloxicam is prescription only in most countries and ibuprofen is not, which is the practical line between them. Both carry the class effects NSAIDs share, on the stomach lining and on the kidneys, and neither selectivity nor dosing schedule removes those.
Side by side
| Meloxicam | Ibuprofen | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C14H13N3O4S2 | C13H18O2 |
| Molecular weight | 351.4 g/mol | 206.28 g/mol |
| Family | NSAIDs | Over-the-counter medicines, NSAIDs, Non-opioid painkillers |
| Everyday group | Prescription medicine | OTC medicine |
| Functional groups | Aromatics, Amides | Carboxylic Acids, Aromatics |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Danger | Danger |
| Oral LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | 84 mg/kg (oral, rat) | 636 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| Half-life | not recorded | 2 h |
| Also sold as | not recorded | Advil, Motrin, Nurofen |
| CAS number | 71125-38-7 | 58560-75-1 |
| PubChem CID | 54677470 | 3672 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Meloxicam and Ibuprofen?
- Meloxicam is an NSAID like ibuprofen but leans toward COX-2, and it is dosed once a day where ibuprofen is dosed through the day, because it lingers far longer in the body. The structures are not close: meloxicam is an oxicam built on a thiazine ring with a sulfur-containing core, while ibuprofen is a small propionic acid on a benzene ring, and the weights differ accordingly at 351.4 against 206.28. Meloxicam is prescription only in most countries and ibuprofen is not, which is the practical line between them.
- Is Meloxicam bigger than Ibuprofen?
- Meloxicam is the heavier molecule, 351.4 g/mol against 206.28 g/mol for Ibuprofen. Meloxicam is C14H13N3O4S2 and Ibuprofen is C13H18O2.
- Which has the lower reported LD50, Meloxicam or Ibuprofen?
- Meloxicam, at 84 mg/kg (oral, rat), against 636 mg/kg (oral, rat) for Ibuprofen. An LD50 is one acute animal measurement, and the two here were not necessarily measured in the same species, so it is a data point rather than a ranking of how dangerous either is to a person.