I won't speculate about the possibility of Nurofen Plus undergoing a change in formulation, or any accompanying aesthetic changes, but I think it is important for people to know a bit about ibuprofen overdose just incase something like that did occur.
Ibuprofen is a Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), and is used to treat pain by reducing inflammation that may be the cause of the pain. It is in the same class of drug as celecoxib, naproxen and others.
ALWAYS read the back of your Nurofen Plus (or any medicine) box - this information is important because there are many people who should not use ibuprofen, and there is other important information about the medicine that should not be overlooked. Less than 5 minutes is not too much time to spend on reducing the risk of harm from taking a drug. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns regarding what is written on the packet.
One should not consume more than 1200mg of ibuprofen in 24 hours. This is usually equivalent to 6 tablets, each containing 200mg of ibuprofen, but always check to see how much a tablet contains because the ibuprofen content could differ between brands.
If anyone is unfortunate enough to unwittingly consume a large amount of ibuprofen then they must first become aware of the fact that they have consumed it, and will hopefully know how much they have consumed too. Below are the MIMS listed symptoms of overdose and treatment recommendations, use these as a guide when you suspect overdose:
Symptoms. Clinical features which may result from overdose with ibuprofen are depression of the central nervous system and the respiratory system. Nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, headache, tinnitus, ataxia, drowsiness, tremor and coma may also occur.
Treatment. In cases of acute overdose, the stomach should be emptied by vomiting or lavage, though little of the drug will likely be recovered if more than one hour has elapsed since ingestion. Because the drug is acidic and is excreted in the urine, it is theoretically beneficial to administer alkali and induce diuresis. In addition to supportive measures, the use of activated charcoal may help reduce the absorption of ibuprofen.
To put it in plain english, here is an ibuprofen overdose symptoms list from another source:
Symptoms & Signs of Ibuprofen Overdose
* body as a whole
o unsteadiness
* eyes, ears, nose, and throat
o ringing in the ears
o blurred vision
* gastrointestinal
o nausea and/or vomiting
o diarrhea
o stomach pain
o possible loss of blood in stomach and
intestinal areas
* nervous system
o headache
o agitation
o incoherence (not understandable)
o confusion
o coma
o drowsiness
Source
Most importantly, as soon as you SUSPECT or realise that overdose (accidental or deliberate) has occurred, immediately do the following:
In all cases of overdose, immediately call the Poisons Information Centre (phone: 13 11 26). Australia wide, 24 hours and 7 days a week.
Tell them the truth about what poison(s)/drug(s) has been consumed, and follow their advice.
I would also recommend a prompt visit to the hospital, but the Posions Information Centre's advice takes precedence over my own, and they will let you know what needs to be done, including a visit to hospital or to the doctor.
The Oral LD50 of Ibuprofen in Rats is 636 mg kg-1.
If anyone would like to expand on or add to this information please do so.