Researchers at Northwestern University (NU) have used metal-organic-frameworks or MOFs to extend the speed and duration of ibuprofen, a result that could mean better pain relief for all of us. “Although MOFs have been frequently discussed as potential drug-delivery vehicles, very few instances of in vivo studies involving MOFs have been reported to date,” say researchers, New Atlas reported. In tests conducted on mice, the ibuprofen trapped in the MOF reached the bloodstream within 10 to 20 minutes, which is about the same time it takes for ibuprofen salts – which are found in liquid gel preparations – to work. But, researchers found that the drug lasted twice as long. In the dosages given to the mice, its half-life clocked in at two hours versus the usual half-life of one hour for ibuprofen salts. The NU team is hoping to take its findings to the next level and develop the process for the commercial delivery of ibuprofen as well as other drugs. The work has been reported in Molecular Pharmaceutics Journal.
