Source: Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (GB) Revision Year: 2020 Publisher: ALTURiX Ltd, 287 Upper Fourth Street, Milton Keynes, MK9 1EH UK
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Mucolytics
ATC-code: R05CB01
Acetylcysteine is a mucolytic.
The mucolytic action is mediated by a reduction in the viscosity of bronchial mucus. This is explained by the depolymerisation with the disulfide bridges between the macromolecules in the mucus being opened.
In addition, acetylcysteine is a precursor of glutathione. Acetylcysteine is a derivative of the natural amino acid cysteine, which serves as a substrate for the synthesis of glutathione in the body.
Apart from the fact that acetylcysteine is able to normalise a state of glutathione depletion, it is able to conjugate with various toxic compounds.
Acetylcysteine is rapidly absorbed after oral administration and distributed throughout the organism. The highest tissue concentrations are reached in the liver, kidneys and lungs.
Acetylcysteine is mainly deacetylated to cysteine in the liver. Most of this is processed in the amino acid metabolism. Moreover, it forms reversible disulfide compounds with amino acids and proteins with free sulfydryl groups. Finally, high doses are largely converted into inorganic sulfate, which undergoes renal excretion.
Preclinical data of acetylcysteine based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, repeated dose toxicity, genotoxicity, carcinogenic potential and toxicity to reproduction do not indicate a risk to humans.
© All content on this website, including data entry, data processing, decision support tools, "RxReasoner" logo and graphics, is the intellectual property of RxReasoner and is protected by copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of any part of this content without explicit written permission from RxReasoner is strictly prohibited. Any third-party content used on this site is acknowledged and utilized under fair use principles.
