Title: Evaluation of Genotoxic, Embryotoxic and Teratogenic Potential of Paracetamol in Humans and Mice
Author: Dr Nandini Vaz Fernandes
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v5i2.16
Abstract
Paracetamol being an over the counter drug is widely used as an analgesic. Though it was considered to be safe earlier, recent studies have shown that at high doses it does have a deleterious effect on humans as well as rodents. The present study was therefore undertaken to elucidate the genotoxic and teratogenic potential of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in the humans and in mice. The association of paracetamol intake during pregnancy and congenital malformations in the offspring was studied by epidemiological studies and by animal experimentation. The genotoxicity of paracetamol was tested by micronuclei test. Analysis of the data collected by proforma for the epidemiological study showed a higher frequency of occurrence of malformations in the offspring of the mothers who had consumed paracetamol during pregnancy (62.12%) as compared to those without paracetamol intake (48.48%). There was an increase in the micronuclei in the mice treated with paracetamol doses of both doses of 0.030 gms / Kg Bodyweight / day and 0.060 gms / Kg Bodyweight / day as was insignificant when compared to the control set. In the teratogenic study for both the paracetamol treated group of female mice, there was termination of pregnancies in the first trimester. It may therefore be assumed that paracetamol at the normal prescribed dose is not `genotoxic but it does have a embryotoxic potential in the mice.
Keywords: genotoxicity, teratogenecity, Paracetamol.
