Siriyakorn Wanarat Gam Advanced Chemistry 01

Acetaminophen or Paracetamol

Purpose and Application

Acetaminophen or Paracetamol is the medicine that used worldwide as a mild

painkiller and decrease the fever of patients (Syrovaya, Levashova, & Andreeva,
2015). It is responsible for analgesic action which is acting to relieve pain and
antipyretic action which used for preventing and reducing fever (Benista & Nowak,
2014). Many of paracetamol products are sold as the medicine that is the treatment
for cold, influenza, headache and osteoarthritis (the denaturation of joint cartilage).
Acetaminophen is made in many different forms such as liquids, tablets, capsules and
suppositories that design for inserting into the vagina and rectum. This medicine
however, has a toxic and side effects. It is a common cause of drug-induced
hepatotoxicity in both adult and children (Algren, 2008). The example of product of
Acetaminophen is Tylenol, the common brand that everyone has known.

Physical property

Acetaminophen is a white crystalline solid. It can melt at 169 - 171 degree

celsius and its boiling point is more than 500 degree celsius. Moreover, it can be
dissolved in both cold and hot water and also in ethanal (Ellis, 2002). It is odorless
and has a slightly bitter taste. In saturated aqueous solution, it has pH at 5.5 - 6.5.
(Acetaminophen, n.d.)

Chemical property

Acetaminophens chemical structure consists of aromatic, hydroxyl and amide

functional group. Molecular weight of acetaminophen is 151.165 g/mol. Its formal
charge is zero (Acetaminophen, n.d.) Due to its chemical structure, this medicine has
a toxic and side effects if the patients take in high dose(Ellis, 2002).
Siriyakorn Wanarat Gam Advanced Chemistry 01
Reference
Algren, D. A. (2008). REVIEW OF N-ACETYLCYSTEINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ... Retrieved
May 20, 2017, from http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/subcommittee/2/
acetylcysteine_rev.pdf

Acetaminophen. (n.d.). Retrieved May 24, 2017, from https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/

acetaminophen#section=MeSH-Synonyms

B Benista, M. J., & Nowak, J. (2014). PARACETAMOL: MECHANISM OF ACTION,

APPLICATIONS AND SAFETY CONCERN. 1-13. Retrieved May 20, 2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24779190.

Ellis, F. (2002). Paracetamol - a curriculum resource. The Journal of Organic Chemistry,, 28(6)
Retrieved May 20, 2017, from http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/content/filerepository/
CMP/00/000/047/Paracetamol_web.pdf

Syrovaya,, A. O., Levashova, O. L., & Andreeva, S. V. (2015). Investigation of quantum-chemical

properties of paracetamol. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research,, 7(1),
307-311. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http://www.jocpr.com/abstract/investigation-of-
quantumchemical-properties-of-paracetamol-6836.html
Siriyakorn Wanarat Gam Advanced Chemistry 01