N-Acetylcysteine—a safe antidote for cysteine/glutathione deficiency
Open accessAbstract
Glutathione (GSH) deficiency is associated with numerous pathological conditions. Administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a cysteine prodrug, replenishes intracellular GSH levels. NAC, best known for its ability to counter acetaminophen toxicity, is a safe, well-tolerated antidote for cysteine/GSH deficiency. NAC has been used successfully to treat GSH deficiency in a wide range of infections, genetic defects and metabolic disorders, including HIV infection and COPD. Over two-thirds of 46 placebo-controlled clinical trials with orally administered NAC have indicated beneficial effects of NAC measured either as trial endpoints or as general measures of improvement in quality of life and well-being of the patients.
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NAC is already employed as an antioxidant and GSH precursor for GSH deficiency in many infections, genetic defects, and metabolic disorders.
“NAC is already used as antioxidant and GSH precursor to treat GSH deficiency in a wide range of infections, genetic defects, and metabolic disorder (Atkuri et al., 2007; Zafarullah et al., 2003).”
From Redox dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and NMDA receptor hypofunction: A “central hub” in schizophrenia pathophysiology? (2016) · cites this paper as Atkuri et al., 2007
NAC has antioxidant properties.
“In the present review, we will however focus on NAC because it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and can regulate glutamatergic neurotransmission.”
From Redox dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and NMDA receptor hypofunction: A “central hub” in schizophrenia pathophysiology? (2016) · cites this paper as Atkuri et al., 2007
Vitamin B9 supplementation can induce several important changes in the biochemical context of the monopolar and bipolar depression.
“In fact, it has been proven that vitamin B9 supplementation can induce several important changes in the biochemical context of the monopolar and bipolar depression [277].”
From Oxidative Stress Implications in the Affective Disorders: Main Biomarkers, Animal Models Relevance, Genetic Perspectives, and Antioxidant Approaches (2016) · cites this paper as [277]
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“been proven that vitamin B9 supplementation can induce several important changes in the biochemical context of the monopolar and bipolar depression [277].”
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- Authors
- Atkuri, K. R., Mantovani, J. J., Herzenberg, L. A., & Herzenberg, L. A.
- Affiliations
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Atkuri, Kondala R
- Mantovani, John J
- Herzenberg, Leonard A
- Herzenberg, Leonore A
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Pharmacology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-08
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 355-359
- ISSN
- 1471-4892 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4540061
- OpenAlex
- W2078974726
- Cited by
- 721
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 44 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 46 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 54 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 39 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 35 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 41
- FWCI
- 2.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI098519, AI566223, R01AI077395)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Sulfur Compounds in Biology
- Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmacology › Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Protection
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Glutathione Transferases and Polymorphisms
- Keywords
- N-acetylcysteine, glutathione deficiency, cysteine deficiency, acetaminophen toxicity, antidotes, HIV infection, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, metabolic disorders, genetic disorders, infection, quality of life
- MeSH terms
- Acetaminophen, Acetylcysteine, Antidotes, Cysteine, Cystic Fibrosis, Glutathione, Humans, Prodrugs, Quality of Life, HIV Infections, Free Radical Scavengers, Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic
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