PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY OF PARACETAMOL METABOLISM AND ITS HEPATOTOXIC EFFECTS (LITERATURE REVIEW)

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most widely used analgesic and antipyretic drugs worldwide. It is available over the counter and is widely used by people across all age groups. Despite its relatively favorable pharmacological safety profile, paracetamol can become one of the most common causes of acute liver failure when taken in doses exceeding the recommended therapeutic range or when misused chronically. The significant proportion of acute liver failure cases associated with paracetamol intoxication in developed countries further emphasizes the medical and social importance of this issue. Furthermore, the fact that paracetamol is generally safe at standard therapeutic doses but may become hepatotoxic at higher doses or in the presence of certain risk factors, such as chronic alcohol consumption, fasting, and drug–drug interactions, necessitates a detailed investigation of its metabolic pathways. Therefore, analyzing the biotransformation processes of paracetamol in the body and the mechanisms underlying its hepatotoxic effects on hepatocytes from a pharmacological perspective is a relevant issue in clinical toxicology and practical pharmacology.