Posted by Larry Hoover on September 28, 2007, at 22:33:44
In reply to Caffeine Plus Acetaminophen May Damage Liver, posted by Quintal on September 28, 2007, at 14:21:06
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> Caffeine Plus Acetaminophen May Damage Liver
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> A mix of acetaminophen and caffeine may cause liver damage, especially in heavy caffeine drinkers, according to a study conducted at the University of Washington, Seattle. Researchers have found that caffeine can triple the amount of a toxic byproduct of acetaminophen, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine (NAPQI), an enzyme produced while breaking down the medication. The enzyme is also responsible for liver damage and failure in most toxic alcohol-acetaminophen interactions.
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> QNAPQI is quenched by glutathione, so the only way that NAPQI could accumulate is that caffeine somehow messes with glutathione levels, and/or regulatory enzymes. I'd expect that the same preventative for acetaminophen toxicity in overdose would be just as efficacious here: n-acetyl cysteine. Equal milligrams dosing of acetominophen (paracetamol) and n-acetyl-cysteine would ensure safety, even in the presence of caffeine. N-acetyl-cysteine is a precursor to glutathione, reacts with spent glutathione to restore its antioxidant status, and undergoes similar quenching reactions on its own.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:785747
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070919/msgs/785836.html