Paracetamol
chemical compound with antipyretic and pain relieving properties / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paracetamol (or acetaminophen) is a common analgesic, a drug that is used to relieve pain. It can also be used to reduce fever, and some kinds of headache. This makes it an antipyretic, something that reduces fevers. It is used in many drugs that treat the flu and colds.
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Pronunciation | Paracetamol: /ˌpærəˈsiːtəmɒl/ Acetaminophen: /əˌsiːtəˈmɪnəfɪn/ (listen) |
Trade names | Tylenol, Panadol, others[1] |
Synonyms | N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP), acetaminophen (USAN US) |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a681004 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, rectal, intravenous (IV) |
Drug class | Analgesics and antipyretics |
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Bioavailability | 63–89%[3]: 73 |
Protein binding | negligible to 10–25% in overdose[4] |
Metabolism | Predominantly in the liver[5] |
Metabolites | APAP gluc, APAP sulfate, APAP GSH, APAP cys, AM404, NAPQI[6] |
Onset of action | Pain relief onset by route: By mouth – 37 minutes[7] Intravenous – 8 minutes[7] |
Elimination half-life | 1.9–2.5 hours[4] |
Excretion | Urine[4] |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.002.870 |
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Formula | C8H9NO2 |
Molar mass | 151.17 g·mol−1 |
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Density | 1.263 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 169 °C (336 °F) [8][9] |
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The words acetaminophen and paracetamol both come from the names of the chemicals used in the compound: N-acetyl-para-aminophenol and para-acetyl-amino-phenol. Sometimes, it is shortened to APAP, for N-acetyl-para-aminophenol.
Harmon Northrop Morse was the first to make Paracetamol, in the year 1878. Drugs made with Paracetamol became common in the 1950s. Today, these drugs are some of the most used, together with those containing salicylic acid, Ibuprofen or Diclofenac. Unlike these, Paracetamol has no anti-inflammatory properties. In the year 1977, Paracetamol was added to the List of Essential Medicines of the WHO.