Tylenol 8 hour temporarily relieves pain due to arthritis, menstrual cramps, toothaches, headaches, backaches, muscular aches and the common cold. It also may temporarily reduce fever. The medication has a two-layer design, which provides quick pain relief as the first layer dissolves and continuous pain relief for up to 8 hours as the second layer dissolves. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that those allergic to acetaminophen or any of the inactive ingredients of Tylenol 8 Hour should not use this medication. Those with questions about the ingredients or potential side effects of Tylenol 8 Hour should talk to a doctor.
Active Ingredient
The active ingredient of Tylenol 8 Hour is acetaminophen, according to the official website of Tylenol. It contains 650mg of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen generally does not produce undesirable side effects when taken as directed, but serious complications may occur when a person takes too much. Drugs.com notes that adults should take a maximum of 4000mg per day and less than 1000mg per dose. Side effects that may indicate a person has taken too much acetaminophen can include stomach pain, loss of appetite, sweating, confusion or weakness. Other serious side effects that may someone is experiencing a medical complication from acetaminophen include a low fever with nausea, stomach pain, appetite loss, jaundice, dark urine or clay-colored stools. Individuals experiencing any of these serious side effects while taking Tylenol 8 should seek immediate medical attention.
Inactive Ingredients
Tylenol 8 Hour also contains inactive ingredients. These ingredients are not intended to provide relief from pain like acetaminophen, but are used to bind the pill together and make the tablets easier to swallow and digest. The inactive ingredients in Tylenol 8 include triacetin, sucralose, sodium starch glycolate, pregelatinized starch, powdered cellulose, povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, corn starch and carnauba wax.
Coloring Ingredient
FD&C Red #40 is the ingredient of Tylenol 8 that gives the tablets their red color. This ingredient is inactive and does not contribute to the effectiveness of Tylenol 8 hour, but it may make the medication more recognizable or appealing when advertising the product.
