Acetaminophen

Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic and it’s also NOT a salicylate.

Therapeutic Properties: It has analgesic and antipyretic properties but no anti-inflammatory and no anti-platelet effects so it can’t treat RA.  But it can be used for osteoarthritis due to its analgesic properties and it can be used for fever.

Toxicities: Tylenol is not a safe drug either.  Toxicity will lead to hepatotoxicity.  A fatal dose is 25 grams.  If you look at Extra Strength Tylenol, 50 of them are fatal.  An antidote has to be administered within 6 hours of overdose or else they will die.  The antidote is acetylcysteine (aka Mucomyst which is used to break up mucus in the lungs with a nebulizer except in this case they have to take it orally).  If you have tried mucomyst you will never forget it:  The warning is cysteine is an amino acid and cysteine is extremely unique because it has a sulfide group and will give a smell of rotten eggs.  In the case of an overdose though, it doesn’t matter because a nasogastric tube will be used to try to remove all the tablets out and then insert acetylcysteine in through there.