How Does Acetaminophen Work? Study Links Pain Relief to the Endocannabinoid System
Carie Behounek
The Takeaway:
A CU Anschutz-led study suggests acetaminophen may relieve pain by interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates pain and inflammation. In knee replacement patients, changes in cannabis-like molecules were linked to both acetaminophen use and reported pain levels. These findings could inform more targeted pain therapies in the future.
Despite acetaminophen’s popularity as a pain reliever, we don’t fully understand how it works.
In 2008, Nathan Clendenen, MD,..