While it is one of the most popular medicines used to treat fever and pain, researchers are advising against consuming Paracetamol tablets warning that it could cause asthma.

Researchers from the Chest Research Foundation in Pune studied 20 asthmatic individuals who were given paracetamol over a period of 15 days.

On carrying out tests on the volunteers, researchers found that resistance in the airway increased at the end of the trial period which suggested that the drug played a part in narrowing the airways.

"Using a special test called impulse oscillometry we found that when paracetamol is administered on patients with mild asthma, there was a definite increase in airway resistance, suggesting a narrowing of the airways", lead researcher Dr Bill Brashier said, adding that the test will now be expanded to include more volunteers in order to check whether the findings of the study was right.

Consumers must not panic, but it is better to be safe than sorry especially in people who have respiratory disease.