Tier 3 — preclinical

Impact of N-Acetylcysteine on Mucus Hypersecretion in the Airways: A Systematic Review

Paola Rogliani, Gian Marco Manzetti, Shima Gholamalishahi, Mario Cazzola, Luigino Calzetta
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2024 19:2347-2360

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 39493366
PubMed Central
PMC11531296
DOI
10.2147/COPD.S474512
Funding
Editorial assistance was supported by Zambon.
Competing interests
Paola Rogliani and Luigino Calzetta reported sponsorship and research funding from Zambon; Mario Cazzola reported sponsorship from Zambon; the authors reported no other conflicts.

Study snapshot

DesignSystematic review of mucus-hypersecretion mechanisms and models
ModelPrimarily in vitro and animal
SampleSystematic review; human bronchial tissue data lacking
InterventionNAC in airway mucus hypersecretion models
DurationVaried across included studies
EndpointsMUC5AC; MUC5B; Goblet cells; Mucus secretion; Mucolytic and mucoregulatory mechanisms

What the study showed, in plain terms

Systematic review of how NAC affects airway mucus hypersecretion, dominated by preclinical models rather than direct human bronchial-tissue evidence.

Key findings

The review supports mucolytic and mucoregulatory mechanisms, including effects on mucin expression and goblet-cell biology, but emphasizes the need for translatable human evidence.

What this study can and cannot tell us

Mechanistic evidence is largely in vitro or animal; findings should not be presented as proof that oral NAC treats an ordinary acute cough.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology