How long to separate Tylenol from NyQuil?
By
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii, PhD, is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drug Design and Development, Enzymes, Molecular Modelling, and Photodynamic Therapy. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii’s Highlights:
- Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo, emphasizing therapy of neglected diseases using light.
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Six months as an international researcher at the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases (University of California San Diego)
- Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes – São Paulo / Brazil
Professional Experience:
2012 – 2018 Project manager at University of São Paulo – Pharmacy Department
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii has worked with computational studies, synthesis, biological evaluation, design, and development of new inhibitor candidates for Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis.
2017 – 2017 International research fellow at University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases.
She used Virtual Screening (VS) and High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Integration in the Discovery of new drugs against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
2018 – 2019 Faculdades Oswaldo Cruz
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy, teaching the subjects of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Development.
2019 – 2021 Researcher in Biochemistry University of São Paulo – Biochemistry Department
She applied Photodynamic Therapy in Leishmaniasis Treatment, mentored undergraduate students in scientific activities, and wrote, executed, translated, and reported scientific projects with funding agencies.
2023-2023 UniPiaget – University Center.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a Biology, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, and Pharmacy professor.
Education:
2018 -2021 Postdoctoral at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo
2013 -2018 PhD of Science: Drugs and Medicines at Department of Pharmacy at University of São Paulo
2012 -2013 M.Sc. of Sciences: Drugs and Medicines at the Department of Pharmacy at the University of São Paulo
2005-2008 Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes
The leading publications of Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii are:
Vital-Fujii, D.G, Baptista, M.S. (2021). Progress in the photodynamic therapy treatment of Leishmaniasis. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 54, 1-11.
Gatti, F. M., Gomes, R.A., da Fonseca, A.L., Lima, E.J.C., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Taranto, A.G., Varotti, F.P., Trossini, G.H.G. (2020). Antiplasmodial activity of sulfonylhydrazones: in vitro and in silico approaches. Future medicinal chemistry, 13, 233-250.
Silva, E.J., Bezerra-Souza, A., Passero, L.F., Laurenti, M.D., Ferreira, G.M., Fujii, D.G.V., et al. (2018). Synthesis, leishmanicidal activity, structural descriptors and structure-activity relationship of quinoline derivatives. Future medicinal chemistry, 10, 2069-2085.
Leite, F.H.A., Froes, T.Q., da Silva, S.G., de Souza, E.I.M., Vital-Fuji,i D.G., Trossini, G.H.G., et al. (2017). An integrated approach towards the discovery of novel non-nucleoside Leishmania major pteridine reductase 1 inhibitors. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 132, 322-332.
Vital, D.G., Damasceno, F.S., Rapado, L.N., Silber, A.M., Vilella, F.S., Ferreira, R.S., et al. (2017). Application of bioisosterism in design of the semicarbazone derivatives as cruzain inhibitors: a theoretical and experimental study. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 35, 1244–1259.
Mello, J. F.R., Gomes, R.A., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Ferreira, G.M., Trossini, G.H.G. (2017). Fragment-based drug discovery as alternative strategy to the drug development for neglected diseases. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 90, 1067-1078.
Pantaleao, S.Q., Fujii, D.G.V., Maltarollo, V.G., da C. Silva, D., Trossini, G.H.G., Weber, K.C., et al. (2017). The Role of QSAR and Virtual Screening Studies in Type 2 Diabetes Drug Discovery. Medicinal Chemistry, 13, 706-720.
Vital, D., Arribas, M., Trossini, G. (2014). Molecular Modeling and Docking Application to Evaluate Cruzain Inhibitory Activity by Chalcones and Hydrazides. Letters in Drug Design and Discovery, 11, 249-255.
Blau, L., Menegon, R.F., Trossini, G.H.G., Molino, J.V.D., Vital, D.G., Cicarelli, R.M.B., et al. (2013). Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new aryl thiosemicarbazone as antichagasic candidates. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67, 142-151.
You can view some of Dr Drielli’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9270-0466
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Drielli-Gomes-Vital-Fujii
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55829534000
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F9U50AEAAAAJ&hl=pt-BR
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/driellivital
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/6101380/drielli-gomes-vital
CDIPD: https://cdipd.org/index.php/about-us/visiting-scientists
How long to separate Tylenol from NyQuil?
You should have at least a 5-6 hour gap between taking Tylenol and NyQuil. This is because NyQuil already contains Acetaminophen, which is the main active pharmaceutical ingredient of Tylenol (1).
If you take these two together, you would be taking too much Acetaminophen at the same time. Although it is considered the safest painkiller to take, it could still cause some harmful effects if taken in extreme amounts.
NyQuil is supposed to be taken at night to help relieve your symptoms so that you can sleep better. You can try taking Tylenol in the late afternoon to separate the two from causing overlapping side effects.
Even if you are just taking NyQuil, make sure to have at least a 6 hours gap in between your doses.
Potential risks associated with a high dose of Acetaminophen
Tylenol and NyQuil, as they both contain Acetaminophen, can cause several disturbing side effects if used persistently. A dose or two won’t harm you and you don’t even have to worry about it if you have accidentally taken it. However, you shouldn’t continue this practice.
The risks associated with too much Acetaminophen in your system include:
- Liver damage: One of the most significant risks of taking too much acetaminophen is liver damage. High doses can overwhelm the liver’s ability to process the medication, leading to liver toxicity, which can be severe and even life-threatening (2).
- Acute liver failure: In extreme cases of overdose, acute liver failure can occur. This is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention and may necessitate a liver transplant in severe cases (2).
- Gastrointestinal issues: High doses of acetaminophen can irritate the lining of the stomach and intestines, leading to stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting (1).
- Kidney damage: Although less common than liver issues, high doses of acetaminophen can also affect the kidneys and lead to kidney damage.
- Risk of overdose: Accidentally taking too much acetaminophen can happen if multiple medications contain acetaminophen, or if the proper dosage instructions are not followed. An overdose can cause serious health problems and requires immediate medical attention (1,2).
Final words
To sum up, it’s best to have at least a 5-6 hour gap between taking Tylenol and NyQuil. This way, you won’t have to worry about potential liver damage associated with Acetaminophen.
However, in case of pre-existing liver problems, please talk to your healthcare provider before taking any formulation containing Acetaminophen. If you have accidentally taken Tylenol and NyQuil together and you feel unusual, please seek medical attention.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
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
2.-
Ramachandran A, Jaeschke H. Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity. Semin Liver Dis. 2019 May;39(2):221-234. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1679919. Epub 2019 Mar 8. PMID: 30849782; PMCID: PMC6800176. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30849782/
