Gender Variations in Pharmacokinetics of Paracetamol in Hausa/Fulani Ethnic group in Northwest Nigeria – A Two-stage Approach

BACKGROUND: Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used drugs worldwide and has been linked to drug-related liver damage, even when taken at recommended doses. Ingesting the upper limit of recommended doses of the drug produced a doubling of mortality when compared to not taking the drug. Acetaminophen ingestion has been implicated in the development of angioedema, the exasperation of asthma, and urticaria in patients with aspirin intolerance. AIM: This study aimed at assessing gender variations in the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol in Hausa/Fulani, the most populous ethnic group in Nigeria and determines a possibility of toxicity in the group. METHODS: It was an exploratory study involving twenty participants selected by criterion sampling who satisfied inclusion criteria. They were fasted 11-h preceding acetaminophen administration to 3 h after administration. A single dose of acetaminophen, 1 g orally with 300 ml of distilled water, was administered at 8 A. M. Blood was obtained before the administration and 15, 30, and 45 min, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 h after the administration. Acetaminophen plasma concentrations were determined by validated reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography Food and Drug Administration guidelines. RESULTS: Six out of 19 (31.6%) participants have higher than maximum therapeutic plasma concentration (>20 μg/ml). Pharmacokinetics parameters were higher in males except for clearance and volume of distribution. CONCLUSION: Clearance from the plasma tends to be more for females than their male counterparts. A good proportion of Hausa/Fulani is prone to acetaminophen toxicity at a therapeutic dose.