Science Attacks The Mystery Of Tylenol

nm1m writes "For decades, millions of physicians have advised their patients to take acetaminophen - the drug behind "aspirin-free" pain relievers like Tylenol - without understanding how or why the popular medicine works. Now, a professor at Brigham Young University has discovered what could be the enzyme the drug attacks to relieve pain."

Comments

Re:How Tylenol Works?

[sessamoid]

PCP and ketamine were used as anaesthetics until the 60s/70s.

Actually, ketamine is still used occasionally as an anesthetic and for procedural sedations, particularly in children who have fewer side-effects from it. I wasn't in practice in the 60's and 70's, but I don't recall ever hearing about PCP being used as an anesthetic, and it's a doubtful thing considering it has no real value as an anesthetic that I can think of. My experience with PCP is thankfully limited, however.

Morphine is still widely prescribed, and I'm pretty sure the doctors don't know too much about it

Actually the action of morphine on mu opiate receptors in the brain is fairly-well (though not completely) understood.

If I'm wrong, correct me so I don't make the same mistake again.

Request granted. ;)