Indomethacin is classified as which type of drug?

Indomethacin is classified as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) because it functions primarily by inhibiting the enzymes cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). This inhibition leads to a decrease in the production of prostaglandins, which are compounds that mediate inflammation, pain, and fever. As a result, indomethacin is effective in treating conditions characterized by pain and inflammation, such as arthritis and bursitis.

While indomethacin does possess analgesic (pain-relieving) and antipyretic (fever-reducing) properties, its primary classification is as an NSAID due to its mechanism of action and usage in treating inflammatory conditions. Unlike muscle relaxants, which are used to alleviate muscle spasms and typically act on the neuromuscular junction or central nervous system, NSAIDs like indomethacin target inflammatory processes. Thus, the classification as an NSAID is the most accurate representation of its pharmacological profile.