N-acetylcysteine a multipurpose drug: application in psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the use of NAC as a treatment in psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Materials and methods: Descriptive analysis of articles in Spanish, English and Portuguese published within the last 9 years, in data bases such as: Scopus, Web of Sciences, Science Direct, PubMed, SciELO, Elsevier and Redalyc. DECs, MeSH descriptors and Boolean operators were used. Outcomes: NAC is effective as a mucolytic, an antidote for paracetamol poisoning and an adjuvant in respiratory disorders. It also shows proneurogenic and neuroprotective properties, reducing oxidative stress and brain inflammation in various diseases such as PD, AD, OCD and others. Conclusions: NAC has therapeutic potential in neurological and psychiatric conditions; more studies are required to understand its full effectiveness and practical uses.