Lesão Hepática Induzida Pelo Uso Excessivo Do Paracetamol: A Prática Do Jejum Pode Proteger O Fígado Por Meio Da Ativação Da Autofagia?

Abstract

Paracetamol is a widely used medication for pain relief and fever reduction. It can be found in solid and liquid forms and is known for its antipyretic and analgesic properties. However, it can cause liver damage when used in excessive doses. This occurs due to the formation of a toxic metabolite called N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI), which damages liver cells. Since this drug is available over-the-counter, without the need for a prescription, it is readily available to the population, leading to, in many cases, health damage through irrational use. This raises questions about pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures for therapeutic methods for the damage caused by overdoses of this drug, which brings up the debate on whether the autophagic pathway will reduce liver injury. In this context, this work is a hypothesis proposing that fasting may activate autophagy in the liver, resulting in greater elimination of damaged components and better tissue repair capacity in the liver damaged by paracetamol. However, it is important to note that the hypothesis still requires additional scientific investigations to be fully validated. Therefore, these thoughts lead us to future studies with the aim of evaluating the mentioned hypothesis and new therapeutic strategies for liver diseases and other conditions associated with cellular stress, involving autophagy as a treatment method.