The liver is susceptible to injury by chemicals because it plays a fundamental role in chemical metabolism.
The liver has the unique job of processing almost all chemicals that enter the blood stream and removing the chemicals that are difficult for the kidneys to excrete. The liver turns these chemicals into products that can be eliminated from the body through bile or urine. However, during this chemical process in the liver, unstable highly toxic bi-products are sometimes produced; these highly toxic bi-products can attack and injure the liver.
Regular alcohol consumption will likely enhance the chance of drug toxicity especially in the case of acetaminophen. Therefore, alcohol should not be consumed when using medications.