N-acetyl-L-cysteine
Also known as N-acetylcysteine, NAC, (2R)-2-acetamido-3-sulfanylpropanoic acid, (2R)-2-acetylamino-3-sulfanylpropanoic acid, (R)-2-acetylamino-3-mercaptopropanoic acid, N-acetyl-L-(+)-cysteine, L-acetylcysteine, (R)-mercapturic acid
Acetylcysteine or '''N-acetylcysteine (NAC'; not to be confused with N''-acetylcarnosine, which is also abbreviated NAC) is a mucolytic that is used to treat paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose and to loosen thick mucus in individuals with chronic bronchopulmonary disorders, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. It has been used to treat lactobezoar in infants. It can be taken intravenously, orally (swallowed by mouth), or inhaled as a mist by use of a nebulizer. It is also sometimes used as a dietary supplement.
Key facts
- Drug.elimination_half life
- 5.6 hours
- Drug.image
- Acetylcysteine2.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.width
- 125
- Drug.image2
- Acetylcysteine-from-xtal-3D-bs-17.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.pronounce
- and similar ()
- Drug.tradename
- ACC 200, Acetadote, Fluimucil, Mucomyst, others
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a615021
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Acetylcysteine
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- B2
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- Oral, intravenous, inhalation
Article
20 sectionsContents
- Uses
- Medical uses
- Paracetamol overdose antidote
- Mucolytic agent
- Lungs
- Other uses
- Microbiological use
- Side effects
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics
- Chemistry
- Society and culture
- Research
- Psychiatry
- Addiction
- Bipolar disorder
- COVID-19
- External links
- References
Acetylcysteine or '''N-acetylcysteine (NAC'; not to be confused with N''-acetylcarnosine, which is also abbreviated NAC) is a mucolytic that is used to treat paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose and to loosen thick mucus in individuals with chronic bronchopulmonary disorders, such as pneumonia and bronchitis. It has been used to treat lactobezoar in infants. It can be taken intravenously, orally (swallowed by mouth), or inhaled as a mist by use of a nebulizer. It is also sometimes used as a dietary supplement.
Common side effects include nausea and vomiting when taken orally. The skin may occasionally become red and itchy with any route of administration. A non-immune type of anaphylaxis may also occur. It appears to be safe in pregnancy. For paracetamol overdose, it works by increasing the level of glutathione, an antioxidant that can neutralize the toxic breakdown products of paracetamol. When inhaled, it acts as a mucolytic by decreasing the thickness of mucus.