Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, or Aspirin; which is the most toxic to the liver?

Question

Please no "it depends" or "i don't know" answers.

Answer 1

Acetaminophen overdose would be the most common. Your liver deals with a toxic metabolite of acetaminophen using glutathione, but only has a certain amount of it. If you have to much acetaminophen, your liver runs out of glutathione. Any remaining toxic intermediate will do damage to your liver.

It's sad, because often teenagers will down a bottle of Tylenol and show up in emerg. You can administer acetyl-cystine or activated charcoal to try and clean up the mess. If they show up in time, it's ok, but if they're too late, they die a slow and painful death week(s) later after their liver is pooched. By then, they may very well regret their suicide gesture, but it's too late.

In addition, alcoholics are more prone to liver toxicity with acetaminophen. Basically acetaminophen is in a lot of over the counter drugs, and their reduced liver function means they are more sensitive to acetaminophen overdose. You can check out nomograms online if you are interested.

Answer 2

Acetaminophen is the answer. A relatively low dose is toxic.

Ibuprofen and aspirin are related chemically and both irritate the stomach and can cause bleeding.

Answer 3

The differences in the actions of these drugs involve their tissue specificities. Aspirin and ibuprofen act on a broad range of tissues. Acetaminophen inhibits prostaglandin synthesis more specifically in the cells of the nervous system and is a much less effective inhibitor of this in other tissues. This selectivity gives acetaminophen its analgesic and antipyretic effects without acetaminophen's acting as an anti-inflammatory drug.

Acetaminophen is known to cause less stomach irritation than aspirin and ibuprofen, and it does not inhibit platelet aggregation and blood clotting (as does aspirin).

When given in its therapeutic dose (500 mg every 4–6 hours), acetaminophen is a safe and effective pain reliever. However, at higher doses it can be severely toxic to the liver, and even fatal.

Answer 4

acetaminophen....

yes, as what the person above me says

its all in the dose...

aspirin may irritates the wall lining of the stomach,

so i'll say it will be safer to go for ibuprofen if the 3 choices are offered

Answer 5

acetaminophen taken with aspirin is hepatotoxic

Answer 6

acetaminophen  is to  ( the liver)!!  asprin to the stomach and small intestine    ibuprofen  is very bad on the  kidneys if abuse!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Acetaminophen.

Let's just remember the old adage of toxicology, "The poison is in the dose."