Can you take expired Paracetamol?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can you take expired Paracetamol?
It is not generally recommended to take expired Paracetamol or any other medication, as expired meds have no guarantee regarding their safety and efficacy (1).
Paracetamol is an OTC painkiller and fever reducer which is frequently used throughout the world. Paracetamol usually comes with a shelf-life of 2-3 years, which can depend on the storage conditions.
What are the potential risks of taking expired Paracetamol?
Taking expired Paracetamol can pose potential risks to your health. When medications reach their expiration date, they may lose their effectiveness, which could lead to inadequate relief of symptoms.
This indicates that expired Paracetamol may not manage your pain and fever the way unexpired medicine does, which can cause your symptoms to persist (2). This is why you should always opt for fully potent medications to manage your symptoms effectively.
What to do if you have accidentally taken expired Paracetamol?
If you have accidentally taken expired Paracetamol, there’s no need to panic, as it is unlikely to cause serious harm in most cases (3). However, it’s essential to monitor yourself for any unusual symptoms or adverse reactions.
If you experience any discomfort, such as stomach upset, nausea, or dizziness, it’s essential to seek immediate medical advice attention.
How to dispose of expired Paracetamol properly?
Properly disposing of expired Paracetamol or any other medication is crucial to safeguard both the environment and public health. Start by checking the expiration date on the medication packaging and ensure it has indeed expired.
Avoid flushing or pouring the medication down the drain, as it can contaminate water sources (4,5). Instead, reach out to local waste management or recycling centres to inquire about specific disposal guidelines for pharmaceuticals.
Many pharmacies and healthcare facilities offer medication take-back programs, providing a safe way to return expired Paracetamol for proper disposal (6). If no such program exists, seal the medication in its original container, place it in a sealed plastic bag, and dispose of it in the trash.
Final words
To sum up, it’s not recommended to take expired Paracetamol or any other medication for that matter. Expired meds cant deliver promising therapeutic results, which can lead to a worsening of symptoms. This is why always opt for potent medications to manage your symptoms safely and effectively.
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References
1.-
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Don’t Be Tempted to Use Expired Medicines [Internet]. Silver Spring (MD): U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/special-features/dont-be-tempted-use-expired-medicines
2.-
Gerriets V, Anderson J, Nappe TM. Acetaminophen. 2022 Sep 18. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 29493991. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482369
3.-
Gikonyo D, Gikonyo A, Luvayo D, Ponoth P. Drug expiry debate: the myth and the reality. Afr Health Sci. 2019 Sep;19(3):2737-2739. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v19i3.49. PMID: 32127846; PMCID: PMC7040264. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7040264/
4.-
Paut Kusturica M, Tomas A, Sabo A. Disposal of Unused Drugs: Knowledge and Behavior Among People Around the World. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2017;240:71-104. doi: 10.1007/398_2016_3. PMID: 27115675. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27115675/
5.-
Nepal S, Giri A, Bhandari R, Chand S, Nepal S, Aryal S, Khanal P, Moktan JB, Shastry CS. Poor and Unsatisfactory Disposal of Expired and Unused Pharmaceuticals: A Global Issue. Curr Drug Saf. 2020;15(3):167-172. doi: 10.2174/1574886315666200626164001. PMID: 32589562. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32589562/
6.-
Stoddard KI, Hodge V, Maxey G, Tiwari C, Cready C, Huggett DB. Investigating Research Gaps of Pharmaceutical take back Events: An Analysis of take back Program Participants’ Socioeconomic, Demographic, and Geographic Characteristics and the Public Health Benefits of take back Programs. Environ Manage. 2017 Jun;59(6):871-884. doi: 10.1007/s00267-017-0834-3. Epub 2017 Mar 3. PMID: 28258470. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28258470/
