Word: acetaminophen
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...developing countries, counterfeiters tend to target common prescription drugs, including the antibiotic amoxicillin and the painkiller acetaminophen. Many knockoffs are easy to spot because of their amateurish packaging. WHO investigators recently found a fake antimalaria drug circulating in Cambodia called Brainy, a nonexistent brand. Counterfeiters apparently planned to fool unsophisticated buyers by printing the packaging in the Thai language-Thai products are respected in Cambodia. Other fakes, however, come in packages that are nearly indistinguishable from the real products. "Even if there is a new security feature, such as a hologram, the counterfeiters can reproduce...
...sore throat is one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor. Most of the time the cause is viral, and you can ease your suffering with chicken soup and a painkiller like acetaminophen. But sometimes the problem is a kind of bacteria called group A streptococcus--or strep, for short. That's when antibiotics like penicillin or erythromycin come in handy. Early spring is a peak season for strep throat. If you have a sore throat that is accompanied by a fever but not a cough, your lymph nodes are swollen and there are yellow or white patches...
...start taking low-dose aspirin therapy, be sure you use the right pills. Although there is reason to suspect that other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Advil and Motrin or the newer COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx and Celebrex, might offer similar protection, only aspirin has been rigorously tested. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is not an anti-inflammatory, so don't expect it to protect you against colon or any other cancer...
...what can you do? The first step for most patients is to try to get some immediate relief. About 15% don't seem to experience inflammation; for them, over-the-counter pain killers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) are often all that's necessary to control their symptoms. Things become more complicated when inflammation is involved. Old standbys like aspirin or ibuprofen are pretty good anti-inflammatories, but long-term use can trigger dangerous side effects like internal bleeding. Newer drugs, such as COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx and Celebrex, are safer but no substitute for some of the long-term changes...
Over-the-counter painkillers: For mild pain, acetaminophen should be your first choice, since it relieves discomfort without damaging the digestive tract. If pain persists, your doctor may recommend aspirin or ibuprofen, which can reduce the swelling and damage due to inflammation; anti-inflammatory drugs, however, can be harsh on the stomach...