N-Acetyl-L-cysteine

Absorption

An 11 g dose in the form of an effervescent tablet for solution reaches a mean Cmax of 26.5 μg/mL, with a Tmax of 2 hours, and an AUC of 186 μg*h/mL.

Toxicity

Patients experiencing an overdose may present with vomiting, nausea, bronchospasm, periorbital angioedema, and hypotension. Treat patients with symptomatic and supportive measures. Hemodialysis may remove some acetylcysteine from circulation as it is somewhat protein bound.

Description

N-Acetyl-L-cysteine is a kind of membrane penetrating antioxidant. It has anti-inflammatory activity through regulating the activation of NF-κB and HIF-1α as well as modulation of ROS. It can penetrate across the membrane, replenishes intracellular and glutathione and GSH to help the cell fight against oxidative stress. For these reasons, it has the potential for the treatment of neurodegeneration (such as Parkinson’s disease), radiation exposure and other disorders caused by oxidation. Moreover, it can also attenuate the allergic airway diseases.

The Uses of N-Acetyl-L-cysteine

A metabolite of Methyl Isocyanate.
N-Acetyl-L-cysteine, by itself a poor scavenger of oxidants, is converted inside cells to yield sulfane sulfur species, which are very potent scavengers of oxidants.

Indications

Acetylcysteine is indicated for mucolytic therapy and in the management of acetaminophen overdose.

What are the applications of Application

N-acetyl cysteine is an antioxidant that might play a role in preventing cancer. As a drug, it's used by healthcare providers to treat acetaminophen (Tylenol) poisoning. It works by binding the poisonous forms of acetaminophen that are formed in the liver.

Pharmacokinetics

Acetylcysteine is indicated for mucolytic therapy and in the management of acetaminophen overdose. It has a short duration of action as it is given every 1-8 hours depending on route of administration, and has a wide therapeutic window. Patients should be counselled regarding diluting oral solutions in cola for taste masking, the risk of hypersensitivity, and the risk of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

Metabolism

Acetylcysteine can be deacetylated by aminoacylase 1 or other undefined deacetylases before undergoing the normal metabolism of cysteine.