[A rapid determination kit for acetaminophen].

Acetaminophen (APAP: N-Acetyl-p-amino-phenol) is widely used as a nonprescription analgesic and antipyretic drug. Although APAP is usually well tolerated when used at the recommended dose, overdose has been associated with lethal hepatic necrosis. This toxicity has been correlated with elevated serum or plasma APAP levels and/or a halftime of elimination from these fluids exceeding four hours. Therefore a rapid method for determination of APAP is needed to treat a patient with an acute APAP overdose. We developed a simple and rapid method for determination of APAP and prepared a test kit. The test kit was based on the colorimetric method (indophenol method), but not including stinking reagents. The reaction mixture assumed pale blue to dark blue according to APAP concentrations and the determination range was 10-200 micrograms/mL with the naked eye. It took only 15 minutes for this test. In addition, the test kit could be adapted to APAP test in urine. We believe that the new APAP determination kit will be a useful tool for emergency diagnosis.