Routes of Administration and Dosage

Pharmacokinetics

It is well absorbed after oral administration. About 1/3rd of it gets protein bound and uniformly distributed in the body. The drug gets conjugated with glucuronic acid and gets rapidly excreted in urine. Plasma half life is about 2-3 hrs.Effect after a oral dose last for 3-5 hours.

Indications

Paracetamol has analgesic and antipyretic action with weak anti-inflammatory action. It is commonly used in fever and in mild to moderate pain.

Routes of Administration and Dosage

Oral dose (capsules, powders, suspension, or tablets) and rectal suppositories: For pain or pyrexia in Adults : 325 or 500 milligrams (mg) every three or four hours, 650 mg every four to six hours, or 1000 mg every six hours as needed. For short-term treatment (up to ten days), the total dose should not be more than 4000 mg a day. For long-term treatment, the total dose should not be more than 2600 mg a day. Children : Acetaminophen dose is based on the child's age - in Infants up to 3 months of age: 40 mg every four hours as needed, Infants 4 to 12 months of age: 80 mg every four hours as needed, Children 1 to 2 years of age: 120 mg every four hours as needed, Children 2 to 4 years of age: 160 mg every four hours as needed, Children 4 to 6 years of age: 240 mg every four hours as needed, Children 6 to 9 years of age: 320 mg every four hours as needed, Children 9 to 11 years of age: 320 to 400 mg every four hours as needed, Children 11 to 12 years of age: 320 to 480 mg every four hours as needed.

Contra Indications

Paracetamol is contraindicated in hypersensitivity, analgesic nephropathy, renal and hepatic impairment.

Precautions

Some brands of Paracetamol contain aspartame, which can make Phenylketonuria worse. The chance of serious adverse effects may be increased in alcohol abuse, renal disease and in Hepatitis.

Interactions

It can increase the effect of anticoagulants, it can increase hepatic damage in alcoholics. Pethidine and propantheline can reduce the absorption of paracetamol.

Brand Names

Algina(Geno), Algitab(Ashok Pharma), Aminol HS(Group), Atamol(Maan Pharma), Bepamol(Biological E), Calpol(Burroughs Wellcome), CemolInga (Inga), Cetacin (Alpine), Cetanil(Dabur), Dispar(Rekvina Labs), Dolo 600(Micro Labs), Eupyric(Euphoric), Febrex(Indoco), Febrinil(Sigma Labs), Fepanil(Citadel), Fevastin(Tablets India), Ifimol(Unique), Malidens(Nicholas Piramal), Metacin(Themis Pharma), Metalgin(Mount Mettur), Metaplus(Themis Pharma), Neomol(Neon Labs), P-(250, 125, 500) [Apex], Pacemo(Ashok Pharma), Paracin(Stadmed), Paramet susp(Wallace), Parazine(Albert David), Patmin(Raptakos), Pyrigesic(East India), Thermol650(Bal Pharma), Ultragin(Wyeth Lederle), Winmol(Wings Pharma)