Paracetamol Detoxification Using ODTMA Micelles-Activated Charcoal Complex

Abstract

Paracetamol poisoning is among the most common causes of medication related poisoning and death. The evidence for all interventions for paracetamol overdose is weak. Activated charcoal, gastric lavage, and ipecacuanha are able to reduce absorption of paracetamol if started within one to two hours of paracetamol ingestion, but the clinical benefit is unclear. Therefore, there is a pressing need to invent modified forms of activated carbon and other adsorbents to treat paracetamol toxification. In this study we have investigated the efficiency of octadecyltrimethylammonium (ODTMA) micelles-activated charcoal (OMAC) complex that possesses a positive charge, a high surface area and a high affinity to capture paracetamol molecules. Various pHs were studied to evaluate the effect of pH on the removal of paracetamol by this adsorbent. The adsorption isotherm results demonstrate a fit to Freundlich adsorption isotherm and adsorption kinetics follow a pseudo second order kinetics model. The results revealed that OMAC complex can enhance the detoxification of paracetamol at high doses in the stomach even at low pH compared to activated charcoal. Furthermore, the results indicate that OMAC complex can adsorb paracetamol in different forms at different pHs relative to charcoal, which renders the complex a better detoxification agent than activated charcoal.