Research
While many antioxidants have been researched to treat a large number of diseases by reducing the negative effect of oxidative stress, acetylcysteine is one of the few that has yielded promising results, and is currently already approved for the treatment of paracetamol overdose. In mouse mdx models of Duchennes muscular dystrophy, treatment with 1–2% acetylcysteine in drinking water significantly reduces muscle damage and improves strength. It is being studied in conditions such as autism, where cysteine and related sulfur amino acids may be depleted due to multifactorial dysfunction of methylation pathways involved in methionine catabolism. Animal studies have also demonstrated its efficacy in reducing the damage associated with moderate traumatic brain or spinal injury, and also ischaemia-induced brain injury. In particular, it has been demonstrated to reduce neuronal losses and to improve cognitive and neurological outcomes associated with these traumatic events. It has been suggested that acetylcysteine may help people with Samters triad by increasing levels of glutathione allowing faster breakdown of salicylates, although there is no evidence that it is of benefit. Small studies have shown acetylcysteine to be of benefit to people with blepharitis. It has been shown to reduce ocular soreness caused by Sjögrens syndrome. It has been shown that N-acetylcysteine may protect the human cochlea from subclinical hearing loss caused by loud noises such as impulse noise. In animal models, it reduced age-related hearing loss. It has been shown effective in the treatment of Unverricht-Lundborg disease in an open trial in four patients.
A marked decrease in myoclonus and some normalization of somatosensory evoked potentials with acetylcysteine treatment has been documented. Addiction to certain addictive drugs (including cocaine, heroin, alcohol, and nicotine) is correlated with a persistent reduction in the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc); the reduced expression of EAAT2 in this region is implicated in addictive drug-seeking behavior. In particular, the long-term dysregulation of glutamate neurotransmission in the NAcc of addicts is associated with an increase in vulnerability to relapse after re-exposure to the addictive drug or its associated drug cues. Drugs that help to normalize the expression of EAAT2 in this region, such as N-acetylcysteine, have been proposed as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of addiction to cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs. It is being tested for the reduction of hangover symptoms, but the clinical trial results are still being evaluated. A double-blind placebo controlled trial of 262 patients has shown NAC treatment was well-tolerated and resulted in a significant decrease in the frequency of influenza-like episodes, severity, and length of time confined to bed. COVID-19
NAC is being considered as a possible treatment for COVID-19. References
External links
"Acetylcysteine". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.