PainRelief.com Interview with:
Alex Straiker Ph.D.
Associate Research Scientist, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Adjunct Instructor, Psychological and Brain Sciences
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Gill Institute for Neuroscience, Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405, USA

PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: Acetaminophen has been used to relieve pain since the late 19th century and became available around the world during the 1950s and 1960s. In the United States, it’s known as Tylenol (introduced in 1955), while in most other countries it’s referred to as paracetamol.

It is considered generally safe and remains one of the most widely used medications in the world. However, it still contributes to a significant number of deaths due to liver failure. In fact, in many countries, acetaminophen-related toxicity is the leading cause of acute liver failure.

What’s surprising is that, despite its long history and widespread use, we still don’t fully understand how acetaminophen works.

Scientists have proposed several mechanisms of action involving serotonin pathways and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes.  Several lines of evidence point to the body’s natural cannabis-like chemicals, called endocannabinoids.