How does ibuprofen know where to go? Ibuprofen is a popular anti-inflammatory. It is basically the same thing as Advil…Advil just has a sweet tasting coat. Either way, the mechanism of action is inhibition of an enzyme known as cyclooxygenase, which in turn decreases the production of prostaglandins and thus inflammation in the body. Ibuprofen generally lasts about eight hours. You can take Ibuprofen upto 800 mg three times a day, but that is recommended for a short period of time only, usually