Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Financial Statement Presentation	Financial Statement Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 included in the Apricus Biosciences, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 1, 2018. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted. In the opinion of management, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements for the periods presented reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The December 31, 2017 condensed consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all GAAP disclosures. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. The preparation of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. The Company’s actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Fair Value Measurements	Fair Value Measurements The Company determines the fair value measurements of applicable assets and liabilities based on a three-tier fair value hierarchy established by accounting guidance and prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers include: Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted market prices in active markets; Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions. The Company’s common stock warrant liabilities, when applicable, are measured and disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis, and are classified within the Level 3 designation. The 2015 and 2016 Warrants were recorded at fair value using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The fair value of these warrants was re-measured at each financial reporting period with any changes in fair value being recognized as a component of other income (expense) in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations for 2017.
Income (Loss) Per Common Share	Income (Loss) Per Common Share Basic net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the same period. Diluted net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of common shares and common equivalent shares outstanding during the same period. Common equivalent shares may be related to stock options, restricted stock, or warrants. The Company excludes common stock equivalents from the calculation of diluted net loss per share when the effect is anti-dilutive.
Stock-Based Compensation	Stock-Based Compensation The estimated grant date fair value of stock options granted to employees and directors is calculated based upon the closing stock price of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant and recognized as stock-based compensation expense over the expected service period, which is typically approximated by the vesting period. The Company estimates the fair value of each option award on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Segment Information	Segment Information The Company operates under one segment which develops pharmaceutical products.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the amendment of which addressed narrow-scope improvements to the guidance on collectability, noncash consideration, and completed contracts at transition as well as providing a practical expedient for contract modifications. In April 2016 and March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10 and ASU No. 2016-08, respectively, the amendments of which further clarified aspects of Topic 606: identifying performance obligations and the licensing and implementation guidance and intended to improve the operability and understandability of the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. The FASB issued the initial release of Topic 606 in ASU No. 2014-09, which requires entities to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Entities may use a full retrospective approach or report the cumulative effect as of the date of adoption. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, which deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period, for public entities, though early adoption was permitted. The Company adopted the standard on January 1, 2018 using a modified retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of adopting the standard recognized at the date of initial application. Due to the Company’s sale of certain assets and rights to Ferring in March 2017 (see note 3), the Company does not currently have a revenue stream. Accordingly, the adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-2, Leases. The new standard establishes a right-of-use (“ROU”) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. The Company does not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.