C-Reactive Protein, a Promising Approach for Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity

Abstract

Drug-induced liver injury is a major cause of acute liver failure (ALF) and one of the most challenging liver disorders with respect to its prediction, diagnosis, and management. Acetaminophen (APAP) is one of the most widely used pain relievers worldwide. Although relatively safe, APAP is a dose-dependent hepatotoxin and APAP overdose is a major cause of ALF, far exceeding other causes of ALF in industrialized countries. APAP hepatotoxicity in humans can be modelled in rodents after administration of an acute or cumulative overdose. However, despite intensive efforts, the mechanisms involved in APAP hepatotoxicity are not fully understood, which has hampered the availability of effective therapy for APAP hepatotoxicity.1,2 N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the standard treatment for APAP hepatotoxicity and other causes of ALF.3 However, the effectiveness of NAC in APAP hepatotoxicity is limited to early administration, indicating the need to identify new strategies for adequate management of ALF caused by APAP hepatotoxicity.