The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7393 p346
25 March 2006

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· EPS
· Public health
· Supervision
· Assisted dying
· Paracetamol
· FDCs
· Branded prescribing
· Methadone mixture
· Incontinence products
· CPD
· The Society (2)

Letters to the Editor

Paracetamol

Why young children are less susceptible to paracetamol overdose

From Dr G. Brandon

The PJ provided an interesting report on the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (25 February, p226), in which research into differences between drug metabolism in children and adults was described. Part of this report concerned the low levels of the oxidative enzyme CYP3A4 in children. This is interesting, particularly as it is the enzyme mainly concerned with producing the toxic metabolite benzoquinoneimine during paracetamol metabolism. The reduced susceptibility of young children to paracetamol overdose has long been discussed and these findings now give a clear explanation of the phenomenon.

Geoffrey Brandon
Director
Paracetamol Information Centre
Harleston, Norfolk

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