Is Ibuprofen Safe With Diphenhydramine?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not ibuprofen and diphenhydramine can be combined safely.
Can a person take Ibuprofen with diphenhydramine sleep aid?
Apr 12, 2022- Ibuprofen and diphenhydramine can be taken together safely with no known interaction between them.
- Several over-the-counter products contain both ibuprofen and diphenhydramine combined in a single tablet.
- You can take these medications separately or choose a combination product depending on your preference.
Hello and thank you for your question! This one is relatively straightforward.
Yes, Ibuprofen is safe to take with diphenhydramine (generic for Benadryl). There is no known interaction between the two drugs.
In fact, there are several products on the market that contain both drugs in a single pill, such as Advil PM.
Below is an image of Advil PM showing it containing both ingredients:
You can certainly take both drugs separately as well.
Final Words
I do want to point out here that there are several different 'salt' forms of diphenhydramine. The two commonly seen in drug products are:
- Diphenhydramine HCL
- Diphenhydramine citrate
Approximately 38mg of diphenhydramine citrate is equivalent to 25mg of diphenhydramine HCL.
Although these two different salt forms have slightly different absorption rates, there is not thought to be any clinically significant difference between them.
Thanks again for your question and feel free to reach back out anytime!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Ibuprofen
- A common pain reliever and anti-inflammatory medication available over-the-counter.
- Diphenhydramine
- An antihistamine medication commonly used to treat allergies and as a sleep aid.
- Interaction
- A situation where two drugs affect each other's effectiveness or safety when taken together.
- Salt forms
- Different chemical versions of the same active ingredient created by combining it with other substances to improve stability or absorption.
- Diphenhydramine HCL
- A salt form of diphenhydramine made by combining it with hydrochloric acid.
- Diphenhydramine citrate
- A salt form of diphenhydramine made by combining it with citric acid.
- Absorption rates
- The speed at which a medication enters the bloodstream and becomes active in the body.
- Clinically significant
- Large enough or important enough to meaningfully affect a patient's health or treatment outcomes.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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