Acetylcysteine
Acetylcysteine (pronunciation: a-se-teel-SIS-teen) is a medication and supplement primarily used to treat paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose and to loosen thick mucus in individuals with cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Etymology
The term "Acetylcysteine" combines "acetyl", pertaining to the acetyl group (CH3CO), and "cysteine", an amino acid. Its chemical name is N-acetyl-L-cysteine, often abbreviated NAC.
Uses
Acetylcysteine is used in medicine for a variety of purposes:
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose: Acetylcysteine is the standard treatment for this type of overdose. It can prevent liver failure if given within 8-10 hours after ingestion.
- Mucolytic therapy: Acetylcysteine can break down thick, sticky lung mucus and can be used to help individuals with chronic respiratory diseases like cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and asthma.
- Psychiatry: Some studies suggest that Acetylcysteine could be useful in psychiatry, for conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder.
Related Terms
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Bipolar disorder
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Acetylcysteine
- Wikipedia's article - Acetylcysteine
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski