Paracetamolباراسيتامول

Paracetamol (acetaminophen), sold under the brand name Panadol, is a pain reliever and fever reducer used for everyday aches, headaches, and fever.

The exact mechanism of paracetamol is not fully understood. It appears to relieve pain by reducing the production of chemicals that trigger pain signals, and to lower fever by acting on the brain's temperature-regulating center. It does not have a meaningful anti-inflammatory effect.

• Fever and elevated body temperature
• Mild to moderate pain, such as headaches, back pain, toothache, muscle and joint pain, menstrual cramps, and minor sprains
• Cold and flu symptoms
• Mild relief in mild osteoarthritis (does not reduce joint inflammation or swelling)

Adults

• Standard dose: 500–1,000 mg (one or two 500 mg tablets) every 4–6 hours, as needed
• Daily maximum: many product labels and common OTC guidance cap total daily intake at 4,000 mg; some clinical references use a more conservative 3,250 mg/day ceiling — always follow the maximum stated on your specific product's label and do not combine multiple paracetamol-containing products

Rectal suppositories, adults

• 650 mg every 4–6 hours; no more than 6 suppositories a day

See the special-populations section below for children's weight- and age-based dosing.

This is educational background, not an individual prescription — for anything beyond short-term, occasional use, check with a doctor or pharmacist.

The pain-relieving and fever-reducing effect usually appears within 30–60 minutes of taking a dose.

• Can be taken with or without food; take with food if it upsets the stomach
• Swallow tablets whole with a full glass of water — do not chew
• Shake the oral suspension well before use, and measure the dose with the measuring device provided, not a household spoon
• Paracetamol treats pain and fever but not their underlying cause — see a doctor if pain or fever is severe or lasts more than a few days

• Store at room temperature
• Keep away from moisture and light
• Keep out of children's reach

• Nausea — reported in roughly a third of adults in some data
• Vomiting — reported in roughly 15% of adults in some data
• Abdominal pain
• Constipation — reported in about 5% or more
• Itching — reported in about 5% or more
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Insomnia — reported in about 1–7%
• Irritability, particularly in children

Rare but serious skin reactions have been reported, including skin peeling and mouth ulcers, and, very rarely, severe reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis. Stop the medicine and seek medical attention immediately if you notice skin peeling, blistering, or mouth sores.

Seek medical attention immediately for signs of a serious allergic reaction: skin rash, swelling of the face, mouth, or throat, itching, or wheezing/difficulty breathing.

Taking too much paracetamol can cause serious, potentially life-threatening liver damage, including acute liver failure that may require a liver transplant or lead to death. Most cases of liver injury happen when someone exceeds the daily maximum dose — often without realizing it, by combining more than one product that contains paracetamol (many cold and flu remedies and combination pain relievers also contain it).

Seek medical attention immediately for:

• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Severe or persistent abdominal pain
• Unusual bruising
• Signs of a possible overdose, even without symptoms at first — effects can be delayed

Always check the ingredients of every other medicine you take to avoid doubling up on paracetamol, and never exceed the maximum daily dose on the product label.

• Known hypersensitivity to paracetamol or any component of the product
• Active, severe liver disease or severe liver impairment

• Warfarin (a blood thinner) — paracetamol can enhance its effect, especially with regular use; monitoring may be needed
• Cholestyramine
• Metoclopramide (a nausea medicine) — can speed up paracetamol absorption
• Certain cancer medicines (imatinib, busulfan)
• Carbamazepine (a seizure medicine)
• Ketoconazole (an antifungal)
• Isoniazid (a tuberculosis medicine)
• Lixisenatide (a type 2 diabetes medicine)
• Alcohol — increases the risk of liver injury
• Other products containing paracetamol, including many combination cold/flu and pain remedies — check labels to avoid doubling the dose

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every other medicine you take.

Severe dehydration, significant blood loss, or acute kidney failure (creatinine clearance 30 mL/min or below) further increase risk and call for extra caution.

Paracetamol is generally considered safe for infants and children when the correct dose for their age and weight is used — high doses can cause the same serious liver problems seen in adults. Always use the concentration and measuring device meant for the specific product.

Oral suspension, 120 mg/5 mL (children under 6 years)

Oral suspension, 250 mg/5 mL (children 6 years and older)

Rectal suppositories

Doses are generally given every 4–6 hours as needed, without exceeding the maximum number of doses per day shown for each age group.

Paracetamol is generally considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding at recommended doses, and is often the preferred pain/fever option in pregnancy, but a doctor should still be consulted first to identify the cause of the pain or fever and confirm it's the right choice.

• Avoid or strictly limit alcohol — it increases the risk of liver injury
• Use with extra caution in chronic malnutrition, low body weight, or severe dehydration/blood loss
• Use with caution in G6PD deficiency, asthma or aspirin sensitivity, hemolytic anemia, and phenylketonuria
• Considered a safer pain-relief option than NSAIDs for people managing high blood pressure, and does not raise blood sugar — but it may interfere with some home blood-sugar meter readings, so avoid taking it right before a glucose test
• Check the ingredients of every other medicine before adding paracetamol, to avoid unintentionally exceeding the daily maximum