Paracetamol Presentation

about Paracetamol: Another name for it is Acetaminophen (APAP) Very widely used medicine Used for headaches, arthritis and toothaches Mild painkiller (Analgesic) Reduces temperature (Antipyretic), Ibuprofen is recommended since its more effective Weak inflammatory Found in more than 90 common products sold over counters Vicks and Panadol Relatively safe drug but with toxic side effects If doses are more than 10-15g because of the chemical structure and how it breaks down in our bodies Its broken down to a very reactive intermediate at high doses

What does paracetamol do to the body? It works on a chemical in the body called Prostaglandins which are released in response to illness/ injury- inflammation Paracetamol blocks this production by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) which produces Prostaglandins makes the body less aware of the pain Paracetamol is diff from other medications as It blocks this in the brain and not in the site of the production, which Aspirin does Paracetamol Reduces the high BT by acting on the heat regulatory centre of the brain Prostaglandins is made in the site where they are needed, Site of tissue damage and infection , through chemical reaction Interesting fact Paracetamol is extremely toxic to cats as they dont have the enzymes to break it down safely Paracetamol is also lethal to snakes, and has been used in attempts to control the brown tree snake in Guam Paracetamol with coffee in lethal as it triple the toxic level in the body and cause liver damage 600 medications with acetaminophen currently approved for sale in the U.S. 27 billionacetaminophen doses sold in the U.S. in 2009 1,567 Americanswho diedfrom 2001-2010 from accidental acetaminophen poisoning 1,400 Americans who committed suicide by taking acetaminophen from 2000-2010

What are the chemical reactions in making paracetamol? (School)1- Nitration of phenol Add concentrated sulphuric acid and Sodium nitrate Produces the nitronium ion Which attacks the benzene ring of phenol to produce isomers of nitrophenol The oh group of phenol activates the benzene ring at 2,4 positions resulting to 2 and 4 nitrophenol production 4 is separated by steam distillation as 2 is more volatile due to its fewer hydrogen bond with water Or column chromatography, as 2 is less polar so less affinity for Silica 2-reduction of nitro group to an amine Phenols oxygen is strongly activating, The oxygen is lost from the nitro group of 4th position and H is added to form 4-aminophenol- (Reduction reaction) 3- acetylation of amine with acetic anhydride 4 aminophenol is suspended in water at RTP Readily reacts with ethanoic anhydride to produce a precipitate of amide paracetamol (Industry) developed byHoechstCelanese involves direct acylation of phenol with acetic anhydride catalyzed by HF, conversion of the ketone to aketoximewith hydroxylamine, followed by the acid-catalyzedBeckmann rearrangementto give the amide