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Pharmacology: Acetylcysteine is the N-acetyl derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid, L-cysteine. It is N-acetyl-L-cysteine and has a molecular weight of 163.2.
Acetylcysteine is a mucomodifier of the mucolytic type. Its action is on the gel phase of the mucus by cutting disulfur bridges of glycoproteins.
The viscosity of pulmonary mucous secretion depends on the concentrations of mucoprotein and to a lesser extent, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The latter increase with increasing purulence owing to cellular debris. The mucolytic action of acetylcysteine is related to the sulfhydryl group in the molecule. This group probably opens disulfide linkages in mucous, thereby lowering the viscosity, thus facilitating expectoration and renders the cough more productive.
