Footnote
N-acetylcysteine also appears to have some
clinical usefulness as a chelating agent in the treatment of acute heavy metal
poisoning, both as an agent capable of protecting the liver and kidney from
damage and as an intervention to enhance elimination of the metals. (Below)
Record 15 from database: MEDLINE
Original Source Of This Study
- Title
- Clinical applications of N-acetylcysteine.
- Author
- Kelly GS
- Address
- Alternative Medicine Review, Greenwich, CT.
- Source
- Altern Med Rev, 1998 Apr, 3:2, 114-27
- Abstract
- N-acetylcysteine (NAC), the acetylated variant of the amino acid
L-cysteine, is an excellent source of sulfhydryl (SH) groups, and is
converted in the body into metabolites capable of stimulating glutathione
(GSH) synthesis, promoting detoxification, and acting directly as free
radical scavengers. Administration of NAC has historically been as a
mucolytic agent in a variety of respiratory illnesses; however, it appears
to also have beneficial effects in conditions characterized by decreased GSH
or oxidative stress, such as HIV infection, cancer, heart disease, and
cigarette smoking. An 18-dose oral course of NAC is currently the mainstay
of treatment for acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity. N-acetylcysteine
also appears to have some clinical usefulness as a chelating agent in the
treatment of acute heavy metal poisoning, both as an agent capable of
protecting the liver and kidney from damage and as an intervention to
enhance elimination of the metals.
- Language of Publication
- English
- Unique Identifier
- 98238108
