Acetyl-cystein inject inhalation

Question

Dear team,
Is it damaging to inhale for a longer period of time with ACC (acetyl-cysteine) Inject? (on the celluar level?) . In former times there was only the inhalation with the substance. Many thanks.

Answer

Dear questioner,
ACC is the abbreviation for acetyl-cysteine and is used in broncho-pulmonary diseases with impairment of the mucus production and transport. The substance is licensed for the oral and i.v. use. The decision about an inhalation of acetyl-cysteine afar from its licensing can only be made individually together with a physician. Similarly it has to be decided about the dosage and duration of the treatment. Investigations about harmful changes in case of long-term inhalative usage of acetyl-cystein are not known to me, therefore I cannot give a scientifically proven answer to your question.
Before the period of the now licensed inhalative mucolytic drugs, the i.v. acetyl-cysteine had also been used for inhalation in case of CF patients. This however always after individual decisions. The experience showed, that many patients in the frame of therapeutical single treatment trials, had tolerated the inhalation with acetyl-cysteine Inject well, except for an unpleasant taste of the drug, some were also able to profit from it for mucolysis.
With regard to the actual available alternatives that are licensed for inhalative use (hypertonic saline, DNA-se, dry powder mannitol) acetyl-cysteine is only rarely used for inhalation.
I hope to have helped you with this information,
Best regards,
Yours Dr. Christina Smaczny

11.12.2015