Bren contains ibuprofen 400 mg, an anti-inflammatory painkiller. It relieves pain with an inflammatory component — period pain, headache, backache, muscular pain, dental pain and sprains — and reduces fever. Take it with food, and never alongside another anti-inflammatory.
What is Bren?
Bren contains ibuprofen 400 mg, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and one of the most widely used medicines in the world.
Ibuprofen blocks cyclo-oxygenase enzymes, which the body uses to make prostaglandins. Prostaglandins generate inflammation, swelling, pain and fever, so blocking them addresses all four at once. The same prostaglandins also protect the stomach lining and support kidney blood flow — which is why an everyday medicine still carries real cautions.
At 400 mg, Bren sits at the standard adult strength for meaningful pain relief. The 200 mg tablets sold over the counter are for milder pain; 600 mg is a prescription strength.
The same ingredient is sold in South Africa as Brufen, Unifen, Nurofen, Betagesic and plain ibuprofen, and it is a component of combination products such as Mybulen and Gen-Payne. One ingredient, many names — which matters, because taking two ibuprofen-containing products together multiplies the risks without improving the relief.
What is Bren commonly used for?
Bren is used for pain, inflammation and fever:
- Period pain, where an NSAID is often distinctly better than paracetamol.
- Headache, including tension headache.
- Backache and muscular pain.
- Sprains, strains and sports injuries.
- Dental pain, including after extraction.
- Arthritis — osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Gout flares.
- Fever and cold or flu aches.
Period pain is where ibuprofen earns its place most clearly. Menstrual cramping is produced by prostaglandins acting on the uterus, so an anti-inflammatory targets the mechanism rather than only dulling the result. Taking it as symptoms begin — rather than waiting until the pain is established — works noticeably better, because the medicine blocks production and cannot reverse what has already been released.
For fever and general aches where nothing is genuinely inflamed, paracetamol does the job with fewer cautions. Ibuprofen is the better choice when inflammation is part of the picture.
For localised pain near the surface — a knee, ankle, elbow or hand — an ibuprofen or diclofenac gel delivers the medicine to the area with far less reaching the rest of the body. For anyone who should be careful with tablets, that is a genuinely useful option worth asking a pharmacist about.
How Bren fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simple analgesics | Paracetamol (Donapan, Napamol) | Pain and fever; little anti-inflammatory action |
| Standard NSAIDs | Ibuprofen (Bren, Brufen), diclofenac | Also reduces inflammation |
| Potent NSAIDs | Indomethacin (Arthrexin) | Stronger; more stomach and CNS effects |
| COX-2 selective | Meloxicam (Melzy 7), celecoxib | Gentler on the stomach |
| Corticosteroids | Prednisone | Far stronger anti-inflammatory, as courses |
See the pain, inflammation and musculoskeletal medicines hub.
What to check before using Bren
Take it with food or milk, use the lowest strength that works, and take it for the shortest period you need.
Check other products for an anti-inflammatory. Combination painkillers, some cold and flu remedies, and other branded ibuprofen products all count. Never take two.
Speak to a pharmacist or doctor if:
- You have a history of stomach ulcers, bleeding, reflux or gastritis.
- You have kidney disease, or become dehydrated easily.
- You have heart disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, or have had a stroke.
- You have asthma. A minority of people with asthma react badly to NSAIDs, sometimes severely.
- You take blood thinners, low-dose aspirin, a corticosteroid, an SSRI antidepressant, a diuretic, an ACE inhibitor, lithium or methotrexate.
- You are pregnant. NSAIDs are generally avoided, and specifically in the third trimester.
- You are over 65, where stomach and kidney risks are higher.
- You have chickenpox, or a child does — NSAIDs are avoided, given a link with serious skin infection.
Follow the pack instructions. This page does not set doses.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
Stomach. NSAIDs are the leading medicine-related cause of stomach bleeding, and ulceration can occur without any warning pain. Risk rises with how long you take it, your age, alcohol intake, and combination with steroids, blood thinners or SSRIs.
Kidneys. Ibuprofen can reduce kidney function, particularly when you are dehydrated, older, or on blood-pressure medicines. During a stomach bug with vomiting or diarrhoea, or in extreme heat, switch to paracetamol unless told otherwise — dehydration plus an NSAID is one of the more common ways an ordinary medicine causes harm.
Heart. Regular use at higher strengths is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Occasional use is a different matter from taking it daily for months.
Asthma. Stop and seek advice if wheeze or breathlessness follows a dose.
Do not use it for more than a few days for a new pain without advice. And watch the headache trap: taking a painkiller for headache on most days can produce medication overuse headache, which feels like worsening headaches and drives more tablets.
Seek medical attention for stomach pain, vomiting blood or material resembling coffee grounds, black tarry stools, wheezing or breathlessness, chest pain, one-sided weakness or slurred speech, marked swelling of the face or legs, significantly reduced urine, or a blistering or peeling rash.
Related medicine guides
- Browse Pain, Inflammation & Musculoskeletal Medicines guides
- Read: Prednisone used for
- Read: Donapan used for
Frequently asked questions
What is Bren 400 mg used for? Pain with an inflammatory component — period pain, headache, backache, muscular and dental pain, sprains — and fever. It contains ibuprofen.
Is it the same as Brufen or Nurofen? The active ingredient is the same. Brands and manufacturers differ, and they must not be combined.
What is the difference between 200 mg and 400 mg? The strength. 200 mg is for milder pain and available over the counter; 400 mg is the standard adult strength for meaningful relief.
Is it better than paracetamol? For inflammatory pain and period pain, usually. For fever and general aches in someone who should avoid NSAIDs, paracetamol is safer.
Can I take it with paracetamol? They are different medicines and are sometimes used together on advice. Never take it with another anti-inflammatory.
Should I avoid it when I have a stomach bug? Yes, generally. Dehydration combined with an NSAID is hard on the kidneys — use paracetamol instead unless your doctor has advised otherwise.