Paracetamol an acetaminophen are the same. They are commonly used over-the-counter analgesic or pain reliever as well as fever reducer. This is usually given to relieve headaches and other minor aches and pains. This is also a major ingredient in various cold and flu medications.

The recommended dose for paracetamol is 1,000 mg per single dose and up to 4,000 mg per day for adults and up to 2,000 mg per day if drinking alcohol. Beyond the doses mentioned earlier, it is already toxic and can cause potentially fatal liver damage in rare individuals. Paracetamol toxicity is one major cause of acuter liver failure in Western countries and is the cause for most drug overdoses in the U.S., UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Paracetamol is part of the the Class of drugs known as "aniline analgesics". It is the only drug that is still in use today. The words "acetaminophen" and "paracetamol" both came from chemical names for the compound para-acetylaminophenol and para-acetylaminophenol. Its simple abbreviation is APAP, for N-acetyl-para-aminophenol.

Paracetamol and acetaminophen are the same thing. It is known as acetaminophen in the US. In the USA you can not get paracetamol very easily but you can get acetaminophen easily. In the UK the opposite is true. The toxic dose would depend on several variables.