# Indomethacin in Nigeria

Indomethacin has no active NAFDAC registration in our October 2026 copy of the register; all 3 listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/indomethacin/
- Drug class: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) (Pain & Fever)
- Also known as: Indometacin, Indocid, Indocap, Indomethacin 25mg
- Prescription required: yes
- Last updated: August 2026

## Price in Nigeria

Indomethacin prices in Nigeria vary by brand, strength, and where you buy it. Confirm the current price with a licensed pharmacy, and always check the product is NAFDAC-registered before you pay.

## What is Indomethacin?

Indomethacin — spelled indometacin on many packs, and known to a generation of Nigerians by the old brand name Indocid — is one of the most potent of the classic NSAID painkillers, the same family as ibuprofen and diclofenac but stronger, and harder on the body. It blocks the prostaglandins that drive pain and inflammation, which makes it remarkably effective in an acute gout attack — and equally effective at irritating the stomach lining, straining the kidneys and raising blood pressure.

That double edge defines its proper place: short courses, for genuinely inflammatory pain — a gout flare, an arthritis flare-up — at the lowest dose that works, ideally with food and often with a stomach-protecting medicine like omeprazole alongside. It is not a routine headache or body-pain tablet, and 'strongest' does not mean 'best': for most everyday pain, paracetamol or ibuprofen does the job with a fraction of the risk.

It deserves a plain warning in the Nigerian context: indomethacin has a long history here of being sold loose and swallowed casually — dropped into 'concoction' painkiller mixes, taken daily for years for waist pain, or handed out without a word about food or ulcers. The bleeding ulcers that follow are predictable. Our October 2026 copy of the NAFDAC register shows no active indomethacin registration at all: the two Nigerian-made 25mg capsules it held, Cika Indomethacin (A11-100211) and Indokris (A11-100177), are both recorded Inactive, and New Divine's capsule (A4-9417) Expired earlier. A lapse is a renewal matter for the holder, not proof a pack is fake, but it means no fresh stock should be arriving — check the number on any pack you are offered.

## What is Indomethacin used for?

- Acute gout — bringing a hot, swollen joint under control over a few days
- Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis flare-ups
- Ankylosing spondylitis and inflammatory back pain
- Bursitis, tendonitis and similar acute inflammation
- Severe dysmenorrhoea (period pain) when milder options fail
- Certain specialist hospital uses decided by doctors

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: A typical adult dose is 25mg two or three times daily with food, increased only under a doctor's direction; gout flares are often treated at the higher end for a few days and then stopped. The right course is the shortest one that settles the flare — indomethacin is a sprint medicine, not a marathon one.
- Children: Indomethacin is generally not for children outside specific hospital situations managed by paediatricians. A child with pain or fever should be getting paracetamol or ibuprofen at the correct weight-based dose, not a share of an adult's capsules.
- Elderly: Older adults carry the highest risk of the serious harms — stomach bleeding, kidney injury, heart failure worsening, confusion and dizziness — and indomethacin is on the list of medicines best avoided in the elderly when an alternative exists. If it is used at all, it is the lowest dose, the shortest time, with food, and preferably with stomach protection.

Always take it with or immediately after food. Do not combine it with other NSAIDs (diclofenac, ibuprofen, aspirin for pain) — the risks add while the benefit does not. If you need it for more than a week or two, the real question is the diagnosis, and repeat gout attacks deserve a conversation about allopurinol-type prevention rather than living on indomethacin.

## Side effects

Common: Indigestion, heartburn and stomach pain — the most frequent complaint; Headache — indomethacin is unusual among NSAIDs for how often it causes one; Dizziness or light-headedness; Nausea; Fluid retention and mild ankle swelling.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Stomach or duodenal ulcer, bleeding or perforation — black stools or vomiting blood is an emergency; Kidney injury, especially in dehydration or alongside diuretics; Raised blood pressure and worsening of heart failure; Increased risk of heart attack and stroke with sustained use; Severe allergic reactions, including in people whose asthma is triggered by aspirin or other NSAIDs.

When to see a doctor: Go to a hospital the same day for black or tarry stools, vomiting blood or material like coffee grounds, severe stomach pain, chest pain, sudden weakness on one side, or a marked drop in urine — and see a doctor promptly if swelling, breathlessness or blood pressure rises after starting it.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Active or recurrent stomach/duodenal ulcer, or previous NSAID-caused bleeding; Aspirin- or NSAID-triggered asthma, urticaria or allergic reactions; Third trimester of pregnancy; Severe heart failure, severe kidney or liver impairment; Around the time of coronary bypass surgery.

Interactions: Other NSAIDs and low-dose aspirin — stacked bleeding risk with no added relief; Blood thinners (warfarin) — a serious bleeding combination; Furosemide and other diuretics, plus ACE-inhibitor blood-pressure medicines — indomethacin blunts them and the trio strains the kidneys; Corticosteroids like prednisolone — ulcer risk multiplies; Lithium and methotrexate — indomethacin pushes their levels toward toxicity.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Avoid in the third trimester absolutely — NSAIDs can close a vital blood vessel in the unborn baby's heart and harm the kidneys. Earlier in pregnancy it should only be considered under specialist advice, and paracetamol remains the default painkiller of pregnancy. Small amounts pass into breast milk; short courses are generally considered compatible, but discuss it.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Cika Indomethacin Capsule (Michelle Laboratories Limited, made in Nigeria); Indokris (Krishat Pharma Industries Limited, made in Nigeria).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/indomethacin/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack — Cika Indomethacin (Michelle Laboratories) carries A11-100211 and Indokris (Krishat Pharma) carries A11-100177 in our copy of the register.
2. With no active indomethacin registration in our October 2026 register copy, verification matters more, not less: a genuine pack carries one of the lapsed numbers (Indokris A11-100177, Cika A11-100211) and a manufacturing date from before the lapse — anything else deserves hard questions before any money changes hands.
3. Be wary of loose indomethacin capsules sold unlabelled in markets or mixed into 'strong pain' concoctions — that is precisely how this medicine causes bleeding ulcers.
4. Both active registrations are Nigerian-made 25mg capsules; a pack claiming another strength or origin should be checked against the register with extra care.
5. Buy from a registered pharmacy and keep the pack, so any reaction can be traced to the exact product and batch.

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is indomethacin the same as Indocid?

Indocid is the original brand name, and in Nigeria it survives as the everyday word for indomethacin. The packs actually registered and sold here today are generics — our October 2026 register copy shows both Nigerian-made 25mg capsules, Cika Indomethacin (A11-100211) and Indokris (A11-100177), recorded Inactive — no indomethacin registration is currently active. Same medicine; verify the NAFDAC number rather than the nostalgia.

### Is indomethacin stronger than diclofenac?

They are close relatives, and indomethacin is generally counted among the most potent of the classic NSAIDs — but potency is exactly why it is not the better everyday choice. It causes more stomach, kidney and head side effects than ibuprofen and is at least as harsh as diclofenac. Doctors reach for indomethacin for specific inflammatory problems like gout flares, not for ordinary aches, where the gentler options are simply smarter.

### Can I take indomethacin every day for waist pain?

This is one of the most damaging painkiller habits in Nigeria. Daily indomethacin for chronic waist or back pain quietly buys ulcers, kidney strain and rising blood pressure, while the underlying cause goes undiagnosed. If pain needs a strong NSAID for more than a week or two, what it actually needs is a diagnosis. See a doctor — and never combine indomethacin with diclofenac, ibuprofen or 'mixture' painkillers.

### What should I take with indomethacin to protect my stomach?

Two protections matter: always take it with or straight after food, and for anyone at higher ulcer risk — older adults, previous ulcer, longer courses, or combined with steroids like prednisolone — doctors commonly add a stomach-protecting medicine such as omeprazole. If you ever notice black stools or vomit that looks like coffee grounds while taking it, stop and get to a hospital the same day.

### Is indomethacin good for gout?

Yes — an acute gout flare is indomethacin's classic job, and a short course usually settles the joint within days. But treating the flare is not treating the gout: if attacks keep returning, the lasting answer is lowering uric acid with preventive treatment and lifestyle changes, decided with a doctor. Living from flare to flare on indomethacin means absorbing all of its risks while the disease continues.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)