Abstract
The antibiotic bacerial inactivity of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and its interaction with penicillin and aminocyclitol antibiotics was evaluated. NAC inhibited growth of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were more susceptible than other microorgainsms tested. P. aeruginosa strains were inhibited synergistically by NAC and carbenicillin or ticarcillin. However, NAC antagonized the activity of gentamicin and tobramycin. These findings have implications for the combined clinical use of NAC and aerosolized antibiotics and are also important for the processing of sputum specimens in the microbiology laboratory.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Gottschalk B., Wichmann G. Die Wirkung von N-Acetyl -L-Cystein (Mucosolvin) suf verschiedene Antibiotika. Dtsch Gesundheitsw. 1970 Apr 16;25(15):700–702. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hurst G. A., Shaw P. B., LeMaistre C. A. Laboratory and clinical evaluation of the mucolytic properties of acetylcysteine. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1967 Nov;96(5):962–970. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1967.96.5.962. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LAWSON D., SAGGERS B. A. N.A.C. AND ANTIBIOTICS IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS. Br Med J. 1965 Jan 30;1(5430):317–317. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5430.317. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MEAD G. R., WOODHAMS A. W. N-ACETYL-L-CYSTEINE AS LIQUEFYING AGENT IN THE BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF SPUTUM. Tubercle. 1964 Dec;45:370–373. doi: 10.1016/s0041-3879(64)80051-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Saggers B. A., Lawson D. Some observations on the penetration of antibiotics through mucus in vitro. J Clin Pathol. 1966 Jul;19(4):313–317. doi: 10.1136/jcp.19.4.313. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- WEBB W. R. NEW MUCOLYTIC AGENTS FOR SPUTUM LIQUEFACTION. Postgrad Med. 1964 Nov;36:449–453. doi: 10.1080/00325481.1964.11695324. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Zygmunt W. A., Martin T. A. Cysteine analogs as potential amino acid antagonists in bacteria. J Med Chem. 1968 May;11(3):623–625. doi: 10.1021/jm00309a056. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]