​Paracetamol- A versatile analgesic and antipathetic drug for all

Drug Today Medical Times of India
Perhaps no other over the counter drug has got this level of acceptance as the best pain reliever as well as remedy for fevers and colds as Paracetamol.

Though widely used, it is always safe to use it for the above reasons after proper medical prescription and as per the dosage recommended.

Harmon Northrop Morse, an American chemist is credited with the development of paracetamol in 1877. A decade later, German physicist Joseph Von Merino used it on his patients for the first time. But the wide usage of paracetamol did not happen till 1947 when it was clinically tested and the eventually its marketing began in the USA.

Though till the 1970s, it was still a minority number that was using paracetamol. This was because of use of phenacetin in its manufacturing. However, with adequate modifications made to the medicine in subsequent years, paracetamol began to be accepted and sold as a safe over the counter drug worldwide including India.

Most countries including India have permitted restricted use of paracetamol by the children below the age of 12.

Here are a few basic facts about paracetamol –

Paracetamol serves both as a pain reliever as well as a drug that is cure for fever and colds. It is used by patients for different ailments such as – headache, muscle aches, arthritis, fever, toothache, colds, etc. In the case of arthritis, the analgesic is able to relieve slight pain and not cure the inflammation of the joints
It is available in tablet form or even as a liquid and there are many brands and forms of this medicine. It is always advisable to check with your physician as to which particular brand or form is appropriate for you and in what dosage

If you are required to take paracetamol without medical advice, then do follow the instructions given on the flap of the medicine dutifully. If the fever does not get reduced even after three days, then stop consuming it and check with your doctor

People with liver problems as well as those who are in the habit of consuming alcohol, need to be extra cautions before they consume it. They must consult a qualified medical practitioner for this purpose.

Paracetamol Recommended Dosage
For adults it is 1 gram (1000 mg) per dosage and 4 gms (4000 mg) per day. Children in the 10 – 12 age groups may be given 400 mg to 800 mg that too after proper medical advice.

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