What’s the most popular pain killer in the whole world? It’s Paracetamol of course. Or maybe you prefer to call it Acetaminophen. Yes, they’re one and the same. Listen to the episode and find out if what you know about paracetamol is true!
Hey everyone welcome back to the greek pharmacist my name is john konomu i’m your host and today we’re talking about maybe the most well-known painkiller in the world which is no other than paracetamol some of you might know it as acetaminophen for this episode i’m going to be a little selfish and call it paracetamol because this is how we know it in greece
And it’s just easier for me hope you can forgive me so there are a lot of myths surrounding that medication and we’ll dive into them and see what they’re all about myth number one paracetamol can fight off a cold well as we know paracetamol is an analgesic and antipyretic it’s indicated for physical pain as well as fever now pain and fever can be symptoms of
An upper respiratory tract infection or urti for short so paracetamol can be used to relieve those symptoms like generalized muscle pain sore throat headache and so on however we should not assume that paracetamol has any antimicrobial action because it doesn’t that means it’s not going to treat the urti the infection is probably going to go away on its own
Especially if we’re talking about a viral infection like the common cold but paracetamol will give you a better quality of life while your immune system fights off the virus myth number two paracetamol is an anti-inflammatory that is also false paracetamol has a different mechanism of action than the mainstream non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
We know that it works by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins at the peroxidase site it can activate the 5-ht3 serotonin receptors it can interact with our endocannabinoid system etc however it does not have any interaction with the cyclooxygenase site it can be deactivated in peripheral tissue and its actions are very limited on damaged cells so its
Anti-inflammatory action even if there is any is of no clinical importance it could in some cases replace anti-inflammatories like when the patient has sensitivity in the gastrointestinal system they have a history of stomach ulcers for example or they have resistant hypertension or they are under strict anticoagulant treatment but paracetamol is definitely not
The first line treatment when dealing with inflammation myth number three paracetamol damages the liver well the dose makes the poison let’s start from the beginning when paracetamol enters the body it’s going to go through several metabolic pathways because the body needs to get rid of it at some point because it’s a foreign entity and the organism doesn’t
Have any use for it so the body tries to turn it into something very water soluble so it can excrete it through urine now during that metabolic process paracetamol changes form in shape and at some point it becomes more toxic by turning into a toxic metabolite called napqi that’s an acetylene p benzoquinone but i think you’ll agree to call it nabqi under
Normal circumstances if we’re using paracetamol the right way natural detox agents of the body specifically levers glutathione can get rid of that toxic metabolite however if we take too much paracetamol all at once or if we keep taking it even in therapeutic doses for a very long period of time we are at risk of acute or chronic toxicity because there
Simply won’t be enough glutathione to counteract the effects of any bqi and napqi is then going to damage the liver so keep in mind that if you’re using paracetamol in the right dose and for the right length of time then you shouldn’t have to worry about liver toxicity fun fact in 2012 the fda suggested a lower maximum daily intake for paracetamol from 4
Grams per day to three grams per day in europe we still use it up to four grams per day myth number four paracetamol is an over-the-counter medication so it’s safe even if we don’t use it exactly as intended that is not true and it’s a dangerous way of looking at over the over-the-counter medication in general over-the-counter medication still have patient
Information leaflets and for a good reason they still have specific indications and dosage possible side effects adverse reactions and interactions with other medications so be mindful about that i know that in some countries over-the-counter medication is sold in supermarkets and you don’t really need to go through the pharmacist in order to purchase them
To be honest with you i don’t like that thankfully that’s not the case for greece i believe that the pharmacist should be in a position where they can investigate whether the medication any medication for that matter is given to the right patient for the right reason at the right dose and before you take any medication or supplement please consult your doctor
Or your pharmacist so that they can advise you on proper use we have reached the end of today’s episode i hope you enjoyed listening if you want to share with me your feedback or give me ideas about the content of my next episodes you can send me a message on instagram at johniconomu91 see you all very soon until then stay safe and healthy you
Transcribed from video
3. Myths and Truths about Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) By The G(r)eek Pharmacist Podcast
