World’s first plant-based paracetamol arrives in Germany

A kind of paracetamol being marketed under the brand name Paraveganio is now available in Germany. What makes this medicine special is the fact that it is made with plant-based ingredients only, and it is the first of its kind in the world.

PlantBased News reported that the new medicinal drug is now vegan-certified and the world’s first to be registered with The Vegan Trademark, a trusted vegan labeling being managed by The Vegan Society, a recognized charity and the oldest vegan organization in the world.

Paraveganio was developed by a German pharma firm called Axunio. It was made using 100% plant-based ingredients, and it is now the first product to be certified as vegan by The Vegan Society. Paracetamol is used worldwide as a painkiller and can be purchased over-the-counter, but this medicine contains an animal-derived additive called the magnesium stearate.

Most pharma companies use this additive for lubricating properties in tablets and capsules. The stearic acid that it contains is an ingredient that is made with animal fats.

The plant-based Paraveganio paracetamol is free from magnesium stearate sourced from animals. Rather, this was taken from pure vegetable sources. Axunio guaranteed that its 500 mg. paracetamol tablets are 100% vegan drug that can be taken to relieve mild and moderate pain as well as reduce fever.

“We could not be prouder to be bringing the world’s first vegan-certified drug to the market. Of course, to have it certified by The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark – the gold standard in vegan labeling - makes it that much more special too,” Axunio’s product and business development manager, Julia von Horsten, said in a press release.

She added, “Many people are surprised to hear that the majority of medications, including over-the-counter products such as paracetamol, contain animal derivatives or have been tested on animals. We know there’s a gap in the market for vegan certified paracetamol and are so delighted to be able to offer our product to consumers.”

Meanwhile, this is a good innovation, but the Paraveganio tablets are only available in Germany at the moment. Then again, this may soon reach other countries as Axunio is planning to bring its vegan paracetamol to other markets too.