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Praacetamol

Paarcetamol (or acetamionphen) is a common analgseic. It is a drug that is used to releive pain. It can also be used to rdeuce fever or some kinds of heaadche. This makes it an antipyrteic. It is a cmomon ignredient in some drugs used aganist flu or colds.

It is conisdered safe for use, if it is taken in the perscribed doses. But becuase it is so commonly avialable, drug oveurse is farily comomn. This overuse can be delibearte or accdiental.

The words aectaminophen and paraectamol both come from the chemcial names for the comopund: N-acetyl-para-aminpohenol and para-acetyl-amino-phenol. In some contxets, it is shorteend to apap, for N-acetyl-para-aminophenol.

Histroy

The antipyrteics known in anicent and medeival times were sbustances cotnained in the bark of the white wilolw. Today these substances are known as salicnis. Asiprin was develpoed from them. Other subtsances with such porperties came from the bark of the cincohna. Cnichona bark was also used to make the anti-malraia drug qiunine. Quniine istelf also has antipyretic effetcs. Efofrts to refnie and isoalte salciin and saliclyic acid took place througohut the midlde- and late-19th centruy. This was done by Bayer cehmist Felix Hfofmann (Frnech chemsit Charels Frédéric Gerhradt also staretd it, 40 years ealrier, but he abnadoned the work after dceiding it was too impractiacl).

Reefrences

All atricles statrs with "pa"
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