4'-Hydroxyacetanilide (Acetaminophen), Calpol®, C8H9NO2, M=151.16 g/mol
Analgesic with antipyretic effect, which is available in numerous preparations (suppositories, tablets, juice) almost from all medicament manufacturers both as mono preparations and in combinations like acetylsalicylic acid.
Paracetamol is especially applied to children to reduce a high temperature or for pain relief and seems to be compatibly and well suitable. However, new studies from the USA show for Paracetamol overdosing (> 7.5 g per day) to be the most frequent cause for acute liver failure and in Great Britain uptake of Paracetamol is a common suicid method, despite painful dying in liver coma. In Germany poisonings with Paracetamol are located, both survived deadly running, in the first place of frequency in the substance list.
Normal dosage with children 10-15 mg per kg body weight, maximum 50 mg/kg kg per day. Dose for adult 1 to 8 g/day with brief application.
Paracetamol works by blocking the formation of prostaglandins, which can cause pain, headaches, fever and inflammation.
Poisoning symptoms:
- 1. Day: Vomit, nausea, somnolence
- 2. Day: Improvement of the subjective condition, Increasing of Transaminases and Bilirubine
- 3. Day: High Transaminases, Ikterus, Hypoglykämie, transition to liver coma
Paracetamol is often used in illegal preparations of heroin.
