Tylenol

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Tylenol PM (left) and Tylenol (right)

Tylenol is a North American brand of drugs for relieving pain, reducing fever, and relieving the symptoms of allergies, cold, cough, and flu. The active ingredient of its original, flagship product, acetaminophen (called "paracetamol" outside North America), is marketed as an analgesic and antipyretic. Like the words "acetaminophen" and "paracetamol", the brand name is derived from the chemical name for the compound, N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP). The brand is owned by McNeil Consumer Healthcare.^[1]

History

The active substance of Tylenol, acetaminophen, was first used in medicine in 1894. Acetaminophen only gained widespread use after 1948, when scientists concluded that another popular drug, acetanilide, was toxic and that the same therapeutic effect could be more safely achieved with acetaminophen^{[citation needed]}, which was already known to be a metabolite of acetanilide. Dentists recommend it for tooth aches.

James Roth, a U.S. gastroenterologist, advocated paracetamol as a safer alternative to aspirin, which was shown to have some negative effects. Roth was also principal consultant to McNeil Laboratories. In 1953 McNeil Laboratories introduced Algoson, a preparation containing paracetamol together with sodium butabarbital, a sedative. In 1955 McNeil Laboratories introduced Tylenol Elixir for children, which contained paracetamol as its sole active ingredient. It was originally marketed mainly towards 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.^[2][3] The patent on paracetamol has long expired, and the continued successes of Tylenol brand preparations are largely due to marketing^{[citation needed]}, the backing of Johnson & Johnson, and new patented delivery mechanisms such as quick-release and extended-release forms of the medication^{[citation needed]}.

On September 29, 1982, a "Tylenol scare" began when the first of seven individuals died in metropolitan Chicago, after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol that had been deliberately contaminated with cyanide. The crime was never solved and Tylenol sales temporarily collapsed, but the brand was rebuilt and recovered in a few years. At the request of later Chairman, Joseph Chiesa, new product consultant Calle & Company rescued the brand with the invention of the first inherently tamper-proof [enrobed] capsule, Tylenol Gelcaps, recapturing the 92% of capsule segment sales lost after the cyanide incident. The scare led to the introduction of tamper-evident packaging and "gelcaps" across the over-the-counter drug (OTC) and prescription drug industry^{[citation needed]}.

Tylenol remains a top seller, controlling about 35% of the pain killer market in North America^[4], yet acetaminophen overdose is responsible for more ER visits than any other medicine on the market.^[5]

2010 Tylenol recall

On 15 January 2010, Johnson & Johnson announced the recall of several hundred batches of popular medicines, including Benadryl, Motrin, Rolaids, Simply Sleep, St. Joseph Aspirin and Tylenol^[6]. The recall was due to complaints of a musty smell which is suspected to be due to contamination of the packaging with the chemical 2,4,6-tribromoanisole^[7] The full health effects of 2,4,6-tribromoanisole are not known. The recall came 20 months after McNeil first began receiving consumer complaints about moldy-smelling bottles of Tylenol Arthritis Relief caplets, according to a warning letter sent by the Food and Drug Administration.

Dangers

Acetaminophen causes three times as many cases of liver failure as all other drugs combined,^[8] and is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States,^[5][9] accounting for 39% of cases.

Tylenol products

Tylenol 3, a compound of Tylenol (300mg) and Codeine (30mg)

Tylenol sells products to relieve pain, allergies, and cold- and flu- related symptoms. Allergy and cold products also contain dextromethorphan, antihistamines, and expectorants. A class of stronger pain relievers contains codeine: Tylenol 1 (available in Canada without a prescription) contains 325 mg acetaminophen, 15 mg caffeine and 8 mg codeine; Tylenol 2 contains 300 mg acetaminophen and 15 mg codeine, Tylenol 3 (300 mg/30 mg), and Tylenol 4 (300 mg/60 mg). Acetaminophen is also found in other narcotic-based analgesics such as Percocet which contains oxycodone.

Tylenol PM

Tylenol PM is the trademark for a mixture of paracetamol (acetaminophen) and diphenhydramine, distributed by Johnson & Johnson. It is marketed as a combined analgesic and sedative. It is listed as non-habit forming.^{[citation needed]} Diphenhydramine is an anticholinergic used as the active ingredient in Benadryl, for its antihistamine properties, and Benylin, which is used in cough and cold therapy as an anti-cough (anti-tussive) medication.

See also

• List of paracetamol brand names
• 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders
• Codeine

References

External links

• Tylenol Website
• Pain relief: from coal tar to paracetamol