Drug relieves cold symptoms - naproxen

Healthfacts, July, 1992

The never-ending search for a good cold remedy has turned up an effective use for an old drug. Naproxen, a drug commonly used for arthritis and menstrual pain, has been shown to alleviate several major cold symptoms.

The finding comes from a new study conducted by Steven J. Sperber, M.D., and colleagues at the University of Virginia and other medical centers, and published in the latest issue of Annals of Internal Medicine (July 1 ).

Naproxen is a non-steroidal, antiinflammatory drug available by prescription under several brand names, including Anaprox, Naprosyn, and Naxen. The investigators measured the effects of naproxen against a placebo (a dummy pill) in 79 healthy, young adults who volunteered to be infected with the cold virus.

A five-day regimen of naproxen (200 mg or 500 mg three times daily) was randomly assigned to half the participants; the other half received a placebo. Neither the investigators nor the participants knew who was taking the active drug. Mucus production, tissue use, and other measurements of symptom severity were observed throughout the study period.

Compared with the placebo, naproxen produced significant reductions in the symptoms of headache, malaise, muscle ache, and cough. The patent on naproxen will soon be up, which will allow the drug to be prescribed generically at a much lower cost.