Ibuprofen painkilling drug, box and blister pack of tablets. Ibuprofen is both a painkilling drug (analgesic) and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is used to treat minor aches and pains, as well as inflammation in conditions like arthritis (joint inflammation). Ibuprofen, which was first developed in the 1960s, was initially a prescription drug. It became an over-the-counter drug in the 1980s. It is widely marketed under many brand names, and by many pharmaceutical companies. These Ibuprofen tablets are from Almus Pharmaceuticals, a company launched in 2003 to market a range of generic medicines. Part of their design is to use colour-coded packaging to make it easier and safer to find a required drug.