ABSTRACT
The development of aspirin was a significant landmark in the history of medicine because it stimulated the development of a family of medicines, collectively known as the
nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs). NSAIDs such as
ibuprofen
,
naproxen
, and
sulindac
are valuable drugs for the alleviation of pain, inflammation, and fever and they are commonly prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid disorders such as arthritis. The world market now exceeds $6 billion for NSAIDs (Vainio and Morgan, 1997).