Culmination Activity: Chemical Product (Medication: Tylenol)

The reasons for use of Tylenol is to: relief pain, reduce fever, and relieve the symptoms of allergies, cold, cough, and flu. The substance used in Tylenol; acetaminophen was first used in medicine in 1894. Acetaminophen only gained widespread in 1948 when scientists concluded that another popular drug, acetanilide was toxic and the same use could be found in Acetaminophen and would be safer. 

Tylenol remains a top seller, controlling about 35% of the pain killer market in North America, yet acetaminophen overdose is responsible for more ER visits than any other medicine on the market. On September 29, 1982 a “Tylenol Scare” began with seven individuals died in Chicago after taking Extra Strength Tylenol that had been tampered with and contaminated with Cyanide. Tylenol sales collapsed but several years later the brand was rebuilt and recovered in a few years. This led to the creation of the “Tamper proof capsule”, also known as Tylenol Gelcaps.

Some dangers of Tylenol is Acetaminophen causes three times as many cases of liver failure as all other drugs combined, and is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States, accounting for 39% of cases.

When used appropriately, side effects with acetaminophen are rare. The most serious side effect is liver damage due to large doses, chronic use or concomitant use with alcohol or other drugs that also damage the liver. Chronic alcohol use may also increase the risk of stomach bleeding.

  

In 1955 McNeil Laboratories introduced Tylenol Elixir for children, which contained paracetamol as its sole active ingredient. It was originally made for children, but soon came to dominate the North American pain-killer market. There are a number of different varieties of Tylenol available today including extra-strength (with 500 milligrams of acetaminophen), children's doses, longer-lasting, and sleep aiding (in combination with diphenhydramine). In 2005 Tylenol Ultra was introduced in Canada, with 500 mg of acetaminophen and 65 mg of caffeine; caffeine has vasoconstricting effects, for which there is some disputed evidence for additional effectiveness. The patent on paracetamol has long expired, and the continued successes of Tylenol brand preparations are largely due to marketing, the backing of Johnson & Johnson, and new patented delivery mechanisms such as quick-release and extended-release forms of the medication.

The chemical formula for this is C8H9NO2 

For more information visit... http://www.medicinenet.com/acetaminophen/article.htm

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tylenolhttp://

www.marketresearchworld.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=751&Itemid=

http://www.medicinenet.com/acetaminophen/article.htm

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By: Michael Moreira