The promises and limitations of N-acetylcysteine as a potentiator of first-line and second-line tuberculosis drugs.

ABSTRACT: N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is most commonly used for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose and acetaminophen-induced liver injury. In patients infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), NAC is given to treat hepatotoxicity induced by TB drugs. We had previously shown that cysteine, a derivative of NAC, potentiated the activity of isoniazid, a first-line TB drug, by preventing the emergence of INH resistance and persistence in M. tuberculosis in vitro. Herein, we demonstrate that in vitro, NAC has the same boosting activity with various combinations of first- and second-line TB drugs against drug-susceptible and multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains. Similar to cysteine, NAC increased M. tuberculosis respiration

SUBMITTER: Vilcheze C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8092890 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature