Table 2.

Characteristics of 20 animal studies (21 experiments).

Reference	Animal model	N	Injury type	Control group(s)	Intervention	Via	Initiation of intervention	Other doses	Follow-up
Abdel-Baki et al. (37)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 250–300 g	NR	CCI, moderate	Sham injury + NS Injury and NS	NAC 150 mg/kg	IP	1 h	Once daily on days 1 and 2	1 week
Chen et al. (38)	Wistar rats, 250–300 g	51	Weight drop, moderate	Sham injury + NS Injury and saline	NAC 150 mg/kg	IP	15 min	Once daily on days 1, 2, and 3	3 days
Du et al. (39)	Long Evans pigmented rats, 360–400 g	74	Blast exposure, 14psi, mild	Normal control	NAC 300 mg/kg HPN-07 98.5%	IP	1 h	Twice daily on days 1 and 2	7, 14, and 21 days
Eakin et al. (40)	1. Sprague–Dawley rats. 350–400 g	26	FPI, 1.8–1.9 atm, mild	Sham Injury	NAC 50 mg/kg	IP	30 min	Once daily on days 1, 2 and 3	14 days
Eakin et al. (40)	ICR mice, 30–40 g	32	Weight drop, ~30 g, mild	Sham vehicle (DMSO) Sham + drug Injury	NAC 100 mg/kg	IP	1 h	NR	7 days
					Topiramate 30 mg/kg				30 days
Ellis et al. (41)	Cats	17	FPI, mild	Injury	1. Pre-TBI 326 mg/kg 2. Post-TBI 163 mg/kg	IP	30 min	NR	80 min
Ewert et al. (42)	Long Evans pigmented rats, 360–400 g	48	Blast exposure, ~ 14psi, mild	Injury	NAC 300 mg/kg HPN-07 300 g/kg	IP	1 h	Twice daily for 2 days	3 and 24 h 7 days and 21days
Gunther et al. (43)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 250–400 g	24	Penetrating ballistic like, moderate	Injury Sham surgery	NACA 300 mg/kg	IP	2 min	24 h survivors 300 mg/kg	2 and 24 h
Haber et al. (44)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 250–300 g	NR	CCI, moderate	Sham + NS Injury + NS Minocycline 45 mg/kg	1. NAC 150 mg/kg 2. NAC 150 mg/kg + minocycline 45 mg/kg	IP	1 h	Once daily on days 1 and 2	31 days
Hicdonmez et al. (45)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 280–320 g	36	Weight drop ~0.5J, moderate	(1)No injury (2)Injury	NAC 150 mg/kg	IP	15 min	NR	2 and 12 h
Kawoos et al. (46)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 300–350 g	88	Blast overpressure, mild	Placebo (6 groups based on repetitive BOP)	NACA 500 mg/kg in each group, for 6 different groups	IP	2 h in 6 groups and 15 min prior TBI in 1 group	1 group: NACA at 2 + 4 h post TBI	7 days
Naziroglu et al. (47)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 330 ± 20g	36	Weight drop contusion, moderate	No injury TBI TBI + Se	NAC 150 mg/kg	Oral	1 h	Once at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h	3 days
Pandya et al. (48)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 300–350 g	51	CCI, moderate	TBI + vehicle	1. NAC 150 mg 2. NACA 150 mg/kg and 18.5 mg/kg/h	IP	5–30 min	18.5 mg/kg/h NAC, NACA or vehicle	25 h to 15 days
Senol et al. (20)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 300–340 g	36	Weight drop, moderate	No injury TBI TBI + Se	NAC 150 mg/kg	Oral	1 h	Once at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h	4 weeks
Silva et al. (49)	Wistar rats,270–300 g	NR	FPI, moderate	Injury + NS	NAC 100 mg/kg	Oral	Immediately	Once daily for 5 weeks	5 weeks
Thomale et al. (50)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 300–350 g	48	CCI, moderate	Injury + NS	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	Immediately	2 and 4 h	24 h
Thomale et al. (51)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 300–350 g	62	CCI, moderate	Injury + NS	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	15 min	2 and 4 h	24 h
Xiong et al. (52)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 200–350 g	NR	CCI, moderate	Sham Injury Vehicle	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	4 groups: 5 min before 30 min after 1 h after 2 h after	2 groups post TBI: 1.5 m and 15 m 1.5 m and 30 m	12 hours 14 days
Xiong et al. (53)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 200–350 g	NR	CCI, moderate	Sham Injury	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	30 min	NR	1, 4 and 12 h 1 and 14 days
Yiand Hazell (54)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 200–350 g	64	FPI, moderate	Sham + NS Injury + NS	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	5 min	6 and 24 h	6 and 24 h
Yi et al. (55)	Sprague–Dawley rats, 200–350 g	66	FPI, moderate	Sham + NS Injury + NS	NAC 163 mg/kg	IP	5 min	NR	6 and 24 h3 and 7 days

atm, atmospheric pressure; BOP, blast overpressure; CCI, controlled cortical impact; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; FPI, fluid percussion injury; HPN, 2,4-disulfonyl α-phenyl tertiary butyl nitrone; ICR, imprinting control region; IP, intra-peritoneal; NACA, n-acetylcysteine amide; NAC, n-acetylcysteine; NR, not reported; NS, normal saline; PSI, pounds per square inch; Se, selenium; TBI, traumatic brain injury.