Definition of paracetamol

The word "paracetamol" is used to refer to a commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medication used to relieve pain and fever. But where did this name come from? Paracetamol's original developer, Gerhardt Kotz, came up with the word as a brand name for the drug in the late 1800s while working at the German pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Mannheim. The name "Paracetamol" is a combination of the Greek word "para," which means "alongside," and "acetamide," which is a chemical compound that is broken down during paracetamol's metabolism. The drug was first introduced to the market in 1893 under the brand name Paracetamol-Pool. However, it didn't become widely popular until the 1950s, when scientists at the British pharmaceutical company, Burroughs Wellcome (now part of GlaxoSmithKline), began researching the compound. This research led to the creation of the first commercially available paracetamol tablets under the brand name Panadol in Australia and Paracet in the UK. Today, paracetamol is known by different names in different parts of the world. In the US and Canada, it is commonly referred to as acetaminophen, while in some Asian countries, it is marketed under the brand name Tylenol. Nonetheless, regardless of the name, paracetamol remains one of the most popular over-the-counter medications in the world, thanks to its effectiveness and low risk of side effects.