N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
It is an antioxidant and a sulfur-containing amino acid that the body needs to produce glutathione. It is a form of cysteine that can be found in beta-keratin,
the main protein that makes up nails, skin, and hair. In addition to being produced by the body itself, cysteine can also be obtained by eating protein-rich foods such as meat and eggs. N-acetylcysteine is the most easily absorbed and utilized form of cysteine by the human body,
and people can also supplement it through health products
N-acetylcysteine
CAS number 616-91-1
Molecular weight 163.195
Density 1.3± 0.1g /cm3
Boiling point 407.7±40.0 °C at 760 mmHg
Molecular formula C5H9NO3S
Melting point 106-108 °C(lit.)
Flash point 200.4±27.3 °C
1. Mucolytic action:
N-acetylcysteine helps keep the airways open and is often used to treat respiratory diseases with excessive thick mucus secretions,
such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis.
2. Antioxidant effect:
As an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine protects cells from oxidative damage and may play a role in the prevention and treatment of some diseases related to oxidative stress,
such as cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases.
3. Detoxification of acetaminophen poisoning:
N-acetylcysteine can supplement glutathione, promote the detoxification of metabolites of acetaminophen,
reduce liver damage, and is a specific antidote to acetaminophen poisoning.
4. Respiratory diseases:
Clinically, N-acetylcysteine is often used to treat sputum viscosity and sputum difficulty caused by various respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia,
bronchiectasis, pulmonary cystic fibrosis, etc., which can improve the respiratory function of patients and reduce symptoms.
5. Liver disease:
In addition to the liver damage caused by acetaminophen poisoning, N-acetylcysteine is also used in the treatment of other liver diseases,
such as viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, etc., which may protect liver cells and improve liver function through its antioxidant effect.
6. Other applications:
N-acetylcysteine may play an auxiliary role in the treatment of some mental diseases, such as depression and schizophrenia,
and its mechanism may be related to improving the oxidative stress state of the brain and regulating neurotransmitters.
7. Cosmetics
Anti-aging: can remove oxygen free radicals and other oxides, slow down aging,
its mechanism is not completely clear, may be related to the synthesis of glutamate.
8. Whitening:
N-acetyl-l-cysteine can reduce the melanin in the epidermis and eliminate the melanin that has been deposited,
so it has been widely concerned as a whitening cosmetic.
