# Paracetamol

Paracetamol (acetaminophen), the world's most used painkiller and fever reducer; India leads API supply but its key starting material came largely from China.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/

Fine chemicals · Pharmaceutical · No. 94

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- not published globally; India about 72 kt/yr output (6,000 t/month, 2020); Pharmaoffer recorded 35.9 kt of traded transactions in the 12 months to June 2026
- HS 292429
 Fine chemicals · Pharmaceutical · Foundation · Matter

India supplied almost 40% of the world's paracetamol in 2020, yet relied on China for its key ingredient.

Chart: Illustration: Paracetamol

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Benzene becomes nitrobenzene, which is hydrogenated to para-aminophenol and then acetylated; about 0.72 kg of PAP goes into each kilo of paracetamol.

##### Three things to know

1. A tonne of paracetamol needs about 0.8 t of nitrobenzene and 0.68 t of acetic anhydride.
2. Meghmani's 13,500 t a year PAP plant, built under PLI, is India's main step away from Chinese supply.
3. India held 49.4% of recorded paracetamol export transactions in the 12 months to June 2026.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Benzene**Turned into nitrobenzene or phenol
2. 2 **Para-aminophenol**Hydrogenated in acid over platinum catalyst
3. 3 **Acetylation**Reacted with acetic anhydride to paracetamol
4. 4 **Pure powder**Crystallised to pharmacopoeia standard, drummed
5. 5 **Medicines**Tablets, cold remedies and children's syrups
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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/paracetamol/links/index.md)