HOW PARACETAMOL ACTS ON OUR BODY?

 

HOW PARACETAMOL ACTS ON OUR BODY?

Hello everyone! My name is Sarang More and welcome to another blog. So, in todays blog we are going to discuss very interesting topic that "HOW PARACETAMOL ACT ON OUR BODY?". 

Quite interesting, I am sure that you will definitely love this article and it will clear your doubts especially if you are a medical student.

Before jumping to the pharmacology of paracetamol, first we have to get acknowledged about how the body temperature is elevated or what happens to the body’s integral mechanism that it collectively results in increased body temperature.

So the as we know that we are Homeotherms (means we are warm blooded animals). So it is legit that our body temperature will be greater than ordinary room temperature. Our body temperature is 37*C.

 

We often experience that during the fall season we wrap ourselves with thick woolen materials, and during summers we literally go for the lighter clothes or the clothes which do not retains lots of heat.

This is known as external regulation of the body temperature. But internally body also regulates itself with the virtue of environment. The thermoregulator Centre lies in the hypothalamus which resets itself in contrast to external temperature.

  Q. Why the temperature of our body is elevated during fever?

The body temperature increases due to invasion of pyrogens in our body. The pyrogen alters the thermoregulatory Centre in Hypothalamus interrupts its functionality and this it collectively results in increased body temperature.

So, treatment used to decrease the elevated body temperature is used of antipyretics.

Q. What are antipyretics?

This are chemical agents or the chemical compounds which are used to decrease the elevated body temperature.

The major and most famous antipyretics are Paracetamol (PCM) so called acetaminophen.

It is used as in treatment of fever which is primarily known as antipyretics.

PCM belongs to the class of NSAIDS.

N- Non

S- Steroidal

A- Anti

I- Inflammatory

D- Drugs

It is used in treatment of fever or antipyretics or analgesics and a poor anti- inflammatory.

Analgesics- This are the chemical agents or the drugs which are used to reduce the pain of the body as whole or a particular organ. (Basically painkillers).

So the paracetamol and its adjacent drugs are used to the decrease the elevated body temperature.

It resets the abnormality of hypothalamus which was disrupted by the pyrogen invasion. As soon as the hypothalamus gets reset it initiates the formation of the macrophages which kills the pyrogens and takes the measures that will definitely use to regulate the body temperature.

Paracetamol belongs to class of para- amino phenol derivative. It is a Phenacetin derivative.

It is used as analgesic, antipyretics but poor anti- inflammatory drug. PCM is extremely good antipyretic because it adjusts the amount of prostaglandins (PGs) which were destabilized or disturbed by Cyclooxygenase (COX).

Acetophenomin restores the elevated body temperature. It is poor anti- inflammatory because it is unable to block the Prostaglandins and Cyclooxygenases in presence of peroxides.

Inflammatory site is rich in peroxides generated by Leucocytes.

Paracetamol is active for Cyclooxygenase in brain so it can be used to reduce elevated body temperature (antipyretic action) by readjusting the thermoregulator centre in the hypothalamus.

Q. How quite it is different from ASPIRIN?

So, the aspirin belongs to the same category of drugs (NSAIDS) but different class popularly known as Acetyl- salicylic acid.

The aspirin shows gradual stimulation on respiratory system, it do not cause acid-base balance whereas salicylates derivatives aspirin regulates acid- base balance by compensatory mechanisms by acidosis or alkalosis.

It do not act on cardiovascular system (CVS), gastrointestinal tract (GIT), platelets and uric acid formation inhibition.

Paracetamol are metabolized in liver by microsomal enzymes, Gluocoronide conjugation which is up to 60%.

At larger doses it can cause hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity). Children are more susceptible to low conjugate ability.

Coming to the side effects it can cause liver damage if the dose exceed 10- 15gm in adult dose (after first pass metabolism in liver). Vomiting, abdominal pain.

It can cause hepatotoxicity by increasing serum transaminase and jaundice, etc.

Mechanism of action:-

When we administer the Paracetamol in prescribed quantity for metabolism it get converted into N- acetyl p- benzoquinone which will lead to conjugation with Glutathione and lastly leads to detoxification.

If we administer the paracetamol in larger dose the hepatic glutathione will deplete during conjugation which binds to sulfhydryl group leading to hepatic necrosis (cell death of liver).

Pharmacokinetics:-

Normal adult dose: - 500mg b.i.d.

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