Difference Between Diclofenac Sodium and Diclofenac Potassium

Main Difference

The main difference between Diclofenac Sodium and Diclofenac Potassium is that Diclofenac sodium is slightly less soluble in water than Diclofenac Potassium.

Diclofenac Sodium vs. Diclofenac Potassium

Diclofenac Sodium is a phenylacetic acid derivative and a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug while Diclofenac Sodium a benzeneacetic acid derivative and a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug. Diclofenac Sodium is sodium salt of diclofenac whereas Diclofenac potassium is potassium salt of diclofenac. Diclofenac Sodium is slightly less soluble in the water, on the other hand, Diclofenac Potassium is more soluble in water. Diclofenac Sodium is used to treat severe arthritis pains while Diclofenac Potassium is used to treat mild arthritis pains. Diclofenac Sodium has delayed onset of action as compared to Diclofenac Potassium, on the other hand, Diclofenac Potassium has a quicker onset of action as compared to Diclofenac Sodium because of more water solubility. Diclofenac Sodium use is less safe while Diclofenac Potassium use is relatively safe.

Comparison Chart

Diclofenac Sodium	Diclofenac Potassium
Diclofenac Sodium is sodium salt of diclofenac ,used to treat pain and inflammation.	Diclofenac potassium is potassium salt of diclofenac ,used to treat pain and inflammation.
Receptors at Which Drug Acts
Diclofenac Sodium shows pharmacological actions by inhibiting blocks COX-1 and COX-2	Diclofenac potassium shows pharmacological actions by inhibiting blocks COX-1 and COX-2
Mode of Action
Diclofenac Sodium is Enzyme inhibitor.	Diclofenac potassium is Enzyme inhibitor.
Pain Reliever
Diclofenac Sodium is a pain killer.	Diclofenac potassium is used to relieve pain.
Anti-inflammatory
Diclofenac Sodium is an anti-inflammatory drug and used to treat inflammatory drugs.	Diclofenac potassium is an anti-inflammatory drug and used to treat inflammatory drugs.
Combination With Other Drugs
Diclofenac Sodium is available in combination with misoprostol.	Diclofenac potassium is available in combination with misoprostol..
Available Dosage Forms
Oral, Parenteral, Topical	Oral, Parenteral, Topical
Contraindications
Known hypersensitivity to diclofenac, Urticaria	Known hypersensitivity to diclofenac, Urticaria
Adverse Effects
Cardiovascular thrombotic events, GI bleeding, GI ulceration, GI perforations	Cardiovascular thrombotic events, GI bleeding, GI ulceration, GI perforations

What is Diclofenac Sodium

Diclofenac Sodium is sodium salt of diclofenac which is Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAIDs). Diclofenac Sodium shows pharmacological actions by inhibiting both cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)., Diclofenac Sodium is used to treat the pain and inflammatory disorders. Diclofenac Sodium is used to treat the pain and inflammation in different disorders like gout, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. Diclofenac Sodium has slight antipyretic action. Diclofenac Sodium also possesses some bacteriostatic activity. Diclofenac Sodium can be given orally and topically. Duration of action is 6-8 hours. The half life of Diclofenac Sodium is approximately 1.2-2 hrs. Like all other NSAIDs, Diclofenac Sodium can cause severe adverse effects in gastrointestinal tract bleeding and ulceration, perforation in stomach and intestine.

Example

Examples of famous brand containing Diclofenac Sodium is Voltaren.

What is Diclofenac Potassium

Diclofenac potassium is potassium salt of diclofenac which is Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAIDs). Diclofenac potassium shows pharmacological actions by inhibiting both cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Diclofenac Potassium is of white to off-white color or slightly yellowish. Diclofenac potassium is crystalline powder. Diclofenac potassium is sparingly water-soluble at 25ºC. The chemical name of this drug is Potassium [o-(2,6-dichloroanilino)phenyl] acetate. Diclofenac potassium has a molecular weight of 334.24. The molecular formula of Diclofenac potassium is C14H10C12KNO2. Diclofenac potassium is used to treat mild pain and inflammatory disorders like gout, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. The base of Diclofenac potassium possesses bacteriostatic activity so does the Diclofenac potassium. Diclofenac potassium is available in oral and topical dosage forms. Three formulations are available which are immediate-release, extended-release, and delayed-release. Duration of action is approximately 6-8hours with the half-life of 1-2 hrs.

Example

Common brand that contains Diclofenac Potassium is Cataflam.

Key Differences

Diclofenac Sodium is the sodium salt of the Diclofenac while Diclofenac Potassium is potassium salt of Diclofenac.

Diclofenac Sodium is slightly less soluble in water while Diclofenac potassium is slightly more soluble in water .

Diclofenac Sodium is preferred for prolonged action of reducing inflammation whereas Diclofenac potassium is preferred for quick relieve of pain.

Conclusion

The conclusion of the above discussion is that both Diclofenac sodium and Diclofenac potassium being the salts of diclofenac are important for treating pain and inflammation with the slight difference of extent of absorption in water.

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