The term ‘antipyretic’ was derived from the terms ‘anti’, meaning ‘against’, and ‘pyretic’ which means ‘feverish’. Hence antipyretic drugs are nothing but medicines that can reduce fever. There has been much speculation about the usage of antipyretic drugs as fever is a very crucial factor of the body’s immune response to infections, and most of these are sold as over-the-counter medicines that do not require any prescriptions. 

Apart from acting on fever, these antipyretic medicines are known to have other purposes as well. For example, antipyretics like ibuprofen and aspirin, which are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs); are also used as analgesics or pain relievers, apart from being used for their antipyretic properties, and also there is paracetamol like acetaminophen, an analgesic with weak anti-inflammatory properties.