That's a side-effect of inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1, which correlates to mucus production, such as that which protects stomach linings. Ibuprofen is a non-sele

That's a side-effect of inhibiting cyclooxygenase-1, which correlates to mucus production, such as that which protects stomach linings. Ibuprofen is a non-selective "COX"=cyclooxygenase inhibitor so inhibits COX-2, correlated with inflammation, while undesirably also inhibiting COX-1. This gives rise to the selective COX-2 inhibitors, meant to reduce inflammation with minimal mucus inhibition, such as Celebrex and Firocoxib.