Dolo 650: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects

What is Dolo 650 used for?

Dolo 650 is used to reduce fever and to relieve mild to moderate pain.

• Fever, including fever with colds, flu and viral infections
• Fever or soreness after vaccination
• Headache
• Body ache and muscle pain
• Toothache
• Period pain
• Joint pain, such as mild pain from osteoarthritis

How does Dolo 650 work?

Paracetamol works mainly in the brain and spinal cord. It reduces the production of prostaglandins, chemical messengers that raise body temperature and make nerves more sensitive to pain. Its exact mechanism is still being studied. Unlike ibuprofen, it does little to reduce swelling at the site of an injury.

What happens in your body after you take it

1. You swallow the tablet

   The tablet breaks apart in the stomach. Very little paracetamol is absorbed here.

2. Absorbed in the small intestine

   Once it passes into the small intestine, paracetamol is absorbed quickly into the blood. Levels usually peak within about 30 to 60 minutes. Food in the stomach can slow this down.

3. It reaches the brain

   Paracetamol crosses into the brain and spinal cord, where it reduces prostaglandins. Part of it is converted in the brain into a compound that also dampens pain signals; scientists are still working out the details.

4. The fever setting is lowered

   During a fever, the hypothalamus, the brain's temperature control centre, raises the body's 'set point'. Lowering prostaglandins brings that set point back down, so the body releases heat by sweating and widening blood vessels in the skin.

5. Pain signals are turned down

   With fewer prostaglandins in the brain and spinal cord, pain messages are dampened, so headache and body ache feel less intense.

6. The liver processes it

   Most of the paracetamol is changed by the liver into harmless forms. A small part becomes a toxic by-product called NAPQI, which the liver normally neutralises straight away using a substance called glutathione. Too much paracetamol, heavy drinking or liver disease can use up glutathione, and then NAPQI can damage the liver.

7. It leaves through the kidneys

   The processed paracetamol is removed in urine. About half is cleared every 2 to 3 hours, which is why the effect wears off after about 4 to 6 hours.

How to take Dolo 650

Take Dolo 650 exactly as your doctor advises or as printed on the pack. Do not take more, more often, or for longer than directed.

• Leave at least 4 hours between doses.
• For adults, the total amount of paracetamol from all medicines must not go above the maximum on the label (commonly 4,000 mg, which is 4 g, in 24 hours) unless a doctor tells you otherwise. Your doctor may set a lower limit if you weigh under 50 kg, drink alcohol regularly or have liver problems.
• Many cold, flu and pain medicines also contain paracetamol. Check the label of anything else you take so you do not take a double dose.
• Swallow the tablet with water. It can be taken with or without food.
• See a doctor if fever lasts more than 3 days, or if pain lasts or keeps coming back.
• Dolo 650 tablets are not suitable for young children. Children need a dose based on their weight, usually as a syrup or drops prescribed by a doctor.

Side effects of Dolo 650

Side effects are uncommon when paracetamol is taken at the right dose. The main danger is liver damage from taking too much.

Uncommon or mild

• Feeling sick (nausea)
• A mild skin rash

Who should be careful

Most people can take paracetamol safely, but some need to check with a doctor first because they are more at risk of liver damage or need a different dose.

• Liver disease, or a history of liver problems
• Drinking alcohol regularly or heavily
• Body weight under 50 kg, malnutrition, or not eating for a long time
• Serious kidney disease
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding: paracetamol is commonly used when needed, but ask your doctor and use the lowest dose for the shortest time
• Past allergic reaction to paracetamol
• Children: use only a children's form at the dose a doctor gives

Medicines and things that interact with Dolo 650

Paracetamol has few interactions, but a few medicines and habits change how safe or effective it is. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything you take.

• Other medicines containing paracetamol, including many cold and flu products and some combination painkillers: risk of overdose
• Warfarin and similar blood thinners: regular paracetamol use can increase their effect and the risk of bleeding
• Medicines for epilepsy such as carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital, and the TB medicines rifampicin and isoniazid: may increase the risk of liver damage
• Metoclopramide and domperidone (for nausea): can make paracetamol work faster
• Cholestyramine (for cholesterol): reduces how much paracetamol is absorbed if taken at the same time
• Flucloxacillin (an antibiotic): taking both can rarely cause a serious build-up of acid in the blood, mainly in people who are very ill
• Alcohol: regular or heavy drinking increases the risk of liver damage

If someone takes too much

Storage

Store below 30°C in a dry place, away from direct light, and out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date.

Regulatory status in India

Approved for sale in India. Single-ingredient paracetamol is not on the CDSCO list of banned medicines. Some fixed-dose combinations that pair paracetamol with other medicines were banned in August 2024; Dolo 650 contains paracetamol only.

Other brands with the same medicine

Other brands with the same active ingredient include Calpol 650, Crocin 650 and Pacimol 650. Generic paracetamol 650 mg tablets are also available, including at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras. They all contain paracetamol and work the same way. Check the label for the strength.

Common questions