Rofecoxib
Rofecoxib is a prescription drug used in the treatment of osteoarthritis, acute pain, and painful menstruation and menstrual symptoms. It is classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, and should not be taken by anyone allergic to these types of medications.
Rofecoxib is considered a COX-2 inhibitor since it only acts on one specific form of the cyclooxygenase enzyme, whereas other NSAIDs inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2. This specificity allows Rofecoxib and other COX-2 inhibitors to reduce inflammation (and pain) while minimizing undesired side effects (such as stomach ulcers) that can occur with non-selective NSAIDs.
Rofecoxib is manufactured and marketed under the brand name Vioxx® by Merck & Company. It is available by prescription in tablets and as an oral suspension. It, along with such drugs as celecoxib (which is also used to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis), is a coxib, or cyclooxygenase inhibitor.
