TABLE 1.
Studies demonstrating the use of N-acetylcysteine in dermatologic conditions
| DERMATOLOGIC CONDITIONS | AUTHOR (YEAR) | STUDY DESIGN | DOSAGE | RESULTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excoriation disorder | Grant et al11 (2016) | Randomized, controlled trial | 1,200–3,000mg/day for 12 weeks | 47% of patients showed much or very much improved nail biting behavior compared to 19% in placebo group |
| Excoriation disorder in Prader-Willi syndrome | Miller and Angulo12 (2014) | Open-label pilot study | 450–1,200mg/day for 12 weeks | 100% of patients had improvement in skin-picking behaviors |
| Nail biting behavior | Ghanizadeh et al13 (2013) | Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial | 800mg/day | Significant increase in nail length (5.21mm versus 1.18mm) |
| Nail biting behavior | Berk et al14 (2009) | Case report | 1000mg twice daily | Absence of nail biting behavior for several months |
| Trichotillomania | Grant et al15 (2009) | Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial | 1,200–2,400mg/day | 56% improvement compared to placebo |
| Acne vulgaris | Montes et al21 (2012) | Double-blind, randomized, controlled trial | 5% NAC topical gel | Significant decline in comedone counts |
| Type I lamellar Ichthyosis | Bassotti et al22 (2011) | Case report | 10% NAC topical gel in 5% urea emulsion; twice daily application for 6 weeks | Significant improvement in 2 weeks with improvement in all sites at 4 weeks |
| Bullous morphea | Rosato et al23 (2013) | Case report | Intravenous NAC at 15mg/kg/hr given over five hours every 14 days | Ulcers improved at 16 weeks |
| Systemic sclerosis | Rosato et al24 (2009) | Randomized, controlled trial | Intravenous 15mg/kg/hr NAC infusion every 2 weeks | Decrease in number of digital ulcers and Raynaud’s phenomenon attacks |
| Toxic epidermal necrolysis | Saavedra et al27 (2012) | Case report | Intravenous 600mg every 8 hours | After 2 days, erosive lesions dried; patient was discharged on Day 16 with complete reepithelization |
| Toxic epidermal necrolysis | Paquet et al28 (2014) | Case report | Intravenous 50mg/kg over 20 hours; evaluation at 48 hours | No proven efficacy |
| Atopic dermatitis | Nakai et al31 (2015) | Randomized, controlled trial | Topical 20% NAC solution twice daily for 4 weeks | Increased skin hydration and decreased transepidermal water loss |
| Pseudoporphyria | Velioglu et al36 (2015) | Case report | Oral NAC 400mg twice daily for 3 months | Remission |
| Pseudoporphyria | Vadoud-Seyedi et al37 (2008) | Case report | Oral NAC 200mg 4 times daily for 2 months; 600mg twice daily for 1 month | Remission |