Panamor is a South African range of diclofenac products — an anti-inflammatory painkiller. It is used for pain and inflammation: backache, period pain, dental pain, muscular aches, sprains, gout and arthritis. The range includes tablets, dispersible tablets, a gel and an injection, at different strengths and schedules.
What is Panamor?
Panamor products contain diclofenac, most often as diclofenac sodium. The range registered in South Africa includes:
| Product | Contains | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Panamor | Diclofenac sodium 25 mg tablet | S2 |
| Panamor AT-50 | Diclofenac sodium 50 mg tablet | S3 |
| Panamor 50 mg dispersible | Diclofenac sodium 50 mg effervescent | S2 |
| Panamor-75 | Diclofenac sodium 75 mg/3 ml injection | S3 |
| Panamor gel | Diclofenac, topical | S0 |
Check which Panamor you have, as the strength, form and schedule differ meaningfully across the range.
A note on registry data. Some listings show levodopa — a Parkinson’s disease medicine — alongside diclofenac for one Panamor tablet. That is a database error rather than a real combination: every other entry in the range lists diclofenac alone, and levodopa has no place in an anti-inflammatory tablet. Panamor products are diclofenac products. As always, confirm against your own pack and its leaflet.
Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It blocks cyclo-oxygenase (COX) enzymes, which the body uses to make prostaglandins — the messengers driving inflammation, swelling, pain signalling and fever. Reducing them relieves all four.
Diclofenac is one of the more potent commonly used NSAIDs. It is also, among widely used NSAIDs, one of the more significant for cardiovascular risk, which is why it is not the automatic first choice for everyone.
What is Panamor commonly used for?
- Backache and muscular pain.
- Sprains, strains and soft-tissue injury, where swelling is part of the problem.
- Period pain, often more effective than a simple painkiller.
- Dental pain, as short-term relief while awaiting treatment.
- Joint pain, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis flares.
- Gout attacks.
- Headache, particularly with the faster-acting dispersible form.
- Post-operative and post-injury pain, where the injection may be used in a clinical setting.
The gel is worth understanding separately. Applied to the skin over a painful joint or muscle, topical diclofenac delivers the medicine locally with far less absorbed into the body. For pain in a structure close to the surface — knee, hand, elbow, ankle — it can give useful relief while largely avoiding the stomach, kidney and heart risks of tablets. That makes it a sensible option for many people who should not take oral NSAIDs, though the cautions are reduced rather than eliminated.
Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest time that works. With NSAIDs this is not routine caution — most harm rises with dose and duration.
How Panamor fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Simple analgesics | Paracetamol (Donapan) | Pain and fever; minimal anti-inflammatory effect |
| Non-selective NSAIDs | Diclofenac (Panamor), ibuprofen | Pain and inflammation; stomach, kidney, heart cautions |
| COX-2 selective | Celecoxib, etoricoxib | Anti-inflammatory, gentler on the stomach |
| Topical NSAIDs | Panamor gel | Local relief, much less systemic exposure |
| Corticosteroids | Prednisone | Powerful anti-inflammatory, given as courses |
| Compound analgesics | Mybulen, Stilpane | Paracetamol with codeine and others |
See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub for related guides.
What to check before using Panamor
Do not take it with another anti-inflammatory. Ibuprofen, naproxen, mefenamic acid and aspirin are all NSAIDs. Combining them multiplies stomach bleeding risk without improving pain relief — and they appear in many combination cold, flu and period-pain products, so read the labels. This includes using the gel and tablets together without advice.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor first if you:
- Have had a stomach ulcer, gastritis or gut bleeding.
- Have heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, or a history of heart attack or stroke. Diclofenac carries higher cardiovascular risk than some alternatives and is generally avoided in established heart disease.
- Have kidney disease, or are dehydrated.
- Have liver disease.
- Have asthma.
- Are over 65.
- Are pregnant. NSAIDs are generally avoided, particularly from around 20 weeks and definitely in the third trimester.
- Are breastfeeding.
- Take warfarin or another blood thinner.
- Take an ACE inhibitor or ARB with a diuretic — that combination plus an NSAID is a recognised cause of acute kidney injury.
- Take low-dose aspirin for your heart, lithium, methotrexate, or an SSRI antidepressant.
Take tablets with food or after eating. For the gel, apply only to intact skin — not to broken skin, wounds, eyes or mucous membranes — wash your hands afterwards, and avoid strong sunlight on treated areas.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
With tablets, common effects are indigestion, nausea, abdominal discomfort, headache, dizziness and diarrhoea. With the gel, local redness, itching or a rash at the application site.
Stop and seek medical attention urgently if you notice:
- Vomiting blood, or vomit resembling coffee grounds.
- Black, tarry stools.
- Severe stomach pain.
- Chest pain, breathlessness, or sudden one-sided weakness or slurred speech — seek emergency care.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
- Sudden wheezing, particularly with asthma.
- A spreading rash, blistering or peeling skin.
- Yellowing of the eyes or skin.
- Much less urine than usual, or swollen ankles.
Serious stomach bleeding can develop without warning pain first, which is why the bleeding signs matter even when you otherwise feel well.
See a doctor if pain lasts more than a few days, worsens, or if you need an anti-inflammatory most days. Ongoing pain needs a diagnosis rather than indefinite symptom suppression.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Pain, Inflammation & Musculoskeletal Medicines guides
- Read: Prednisone used for
- Read: Donapan used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Panamor used for? Pain and inflammation — backache, period pain, dental pain, muscular aches, sprains, gout and arthritis flares. It contains diclofenac.
What are Panamor tablets used for? The same conditions, at strengths from 25 mg to 50 mg depending on the product. Check your pack for which you have.
What is Panamor gel used for? Applied over a painful joint or muscle for local relief — knees, hands, elbows, ankles. It delivers much less medicine into the body than tablets.
Does Panamor contain levodopa? No. Levodopa appearing in some listings is a database error. Panamor products contain diclofenac.
Is Panamor stronger than ibuprofen? Diclofenac is generally regarded as a more potent anti-inflammatory, but carries somewhat higher cardiovascular risk. Which suits you depends on your health.
Can I use the gel and take the tablets together? Not without advice. Both deliver the same medicine, and combining them increases total exposure. Ask a pharmacist.
Can I take it with paracetamol? They are different medicines and are sometimes used together on advice. Do not combine it with another anti-inflammatory.
Is it safe in pregnancy? Generally avoided, particularly from around 20 weeks. Paracetamol is usually preferred — confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.