IP 190 Pill: What Is It?

Naproxen 500 mg — white oblong tablet — Amneal Pharmaceuticals — NSAID for pain and inflammation

What Is the IP 190 Pill?

The IP 190 pill is naproxen 500 mg, a prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) manufactured by Amneal Pharmaceuticals. The tablet is white and oblong, bearing the imprint "IP 190" — a product code used by Amneal to identify this specific naproxen strength. It is a generic equivalent of Naprosyn 500 mg, the original brand-name naproxen tablet developed by Syntex and now marketed by Roche.

Naproxen is a member of the propionic acid class of NSAIDs, which also includes ibuprofen and ketoprofen. It was first approved by the FDA in 1976 and has remained one of the most widely used NSAIDs globally. Unlike ibuprofen, naproxen has a significantly longer half-life — approximately 12 to 17 hours — which supports twice-daily rather than three- or four-times-daily dosing and provides more consistent therapeutic levels across the day.

What Is Naproxen Used For?

Naproxen 500 mg is FDA-approved for the treatment of multiple painful and inflammatory conditions. These include rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (a form of inflammatory spinal arthritis), tendinitis, bursitis, acute gout, and primary dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain). It is also used for the temporary relief of mild-to-moderate pain in various other contexts as clinically appropriate.

Lower strengths of naproxen (220 mg as naproxen sodium) are available over-the-counter in products such as Aleve for pain and fever relief. The 500 mg prescription strength is used when higher anti-inflammatory activity is clinically indicated, particularly in inflammatory arthritis conditions. Patients should only use naproxen 500 mg when prescribed by a healthcare provider.

How Does Naproxen Work?

Naproxen works by non-selectively inhibiting both isoforms of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2), the enzymes responsible for synthesizing prostaglandins from arachidonic acid. Prostaglandins are lipid signaling molecules that play key roles in the inflammatory cascade, sensitization of pain receptors, fever generation, and gastroprotection through COX-1-derived prostaglandins that maintain the gastric mucosal barrier.

By blocking both COX-1 and COX-2, naproxen reduces prostaglandin synthesis throughout the body. This produces its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic effects. The inhibition of COX-1-derived prostaglandins also accounts for the primary side effects associated with naproxen and other non-selective NSAIDs: gastrointestinal irritation, increased risk of peptic ulceration, and impaired platelet aggregation.

Naproxen's half-life of 12–17 hours is notably longer than ibuprofen's 2–4 hours, which means therapeutic concentrations persist for an extended period, supporting the twice-daily dosing regimen commonly used in arthritis management.

Visual Identification

Legitimate IP 190 tablets from Amneal are:

• White to off-white in color
• Oblong (caplet) shape with rounded ends
• Approximately 19–20 mm in length
• Imprinted "IP" and "190" — either on one face or split across both faces depending on the production lot
• Some versions include a score line to allow splitting

If you are uncertain whether a tablet is the medication it appears to be, consult your pharmacist. They can cross-reference the physical description against pharmaceutical identification databases.

Important Safety Information

NSAIDs including naproxen carry an FDA boxed warning covering two major risk categories. First, cardiovascular risk: NSAIDs increase the risk of serious thrombotic events including myocardial infarction and stroke, which can be fatal. This risk is higher with longer duration of use and may be greater in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease. Second, gastrointestinal risk: NSAIDs cause serious GI adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal and can occur at any time during use, with or without warning symptoms.

Naproxen is also contraindicated for the treatment of peri-operative pain in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Always confirm with a pharmacist or prescriber before using any NSAID, particularly if you have cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or a history of gastrointestinal problems.

Frequently Asked Questions