Good evidence exists to support the use of N-acetylcysteine as an adjunct treatment to reduce the total and negative symptoms of schizophrenia .
N-acetylcysteine also appears to be effective in reducing craving in substance use disorders , especially for the treatment of cocaine and cannabis use among young people , in addition to preventing relapse in already abstinent individuals .
Oral N-acetylcysteine is safe and well tolerated without any considerable adverse effects .
N-acetylcysteine , a sulphur-containing amino acid for the treatment of paracetamol overdose and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , is a widely available off-the-shelf oral antioxidant supplement in many countries .
With the potential to modulate several neurological pathways , including glutamate dysregulation , oxidative stress , and inflammation that can be beneficial to the brain functions , N-acetylcysteine is being explored as an adjunctive therapy for many psychiatric conditions .
This narrative review synthesis es and presents the current evidence from systematic review s , meta-analyses , and latest clinical trials on N-acetylcysteine for addiction and substance abuse , schizophrenia , obsessive-compulsive and related disorders , and mood disorders .
A double-blind placebo-controlled trial of N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of cocaine dependence.
BACKGROUND There remains no FDA approved medication for the treatment of cocaine dependence . Pre clinical studies and early pilot clinical investigations have suggested that N-acetylcysteine ( NAC ) may be useful in the treatment of the disorder . OBJECTIVE The present report assessed the efficacy of NAC in the treatment of cocaine dependence . METHODS Cocaine-dependent volunteers ( n = 111 ) were r and omized to receive daily doses of 1,200 mg of NAC , 2,400 mg of NAC , or placebo . Participants were followed for 8 weeks ( up to three visits weekly ) . At each of these visits , urine sample s were collected , along with self-reports of cocaine use . Urine sample s were assessed for quantitative levels of benzoylecognine ( ie , cocaine metabolite ) . RESULTS Overall , the primary results for the clinical trial were negative . However , when considering only subjects who entered the trial having already achieved abstinence , results favored the 2,400 mg NAC group relative to placebo , with the 2,400 mg group having longer times to relapse and lower craving ratings . CONCLUSION While the present trial failed to demonstrate that NAC reduces cocaine use in cocaine-dependent individuals actively using , there was some evidence it prevented return to cocaine use in individuals who had already achieved abstinence from cocaine . SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE N-acetylcysteine may be useful as a relapse prevention agent in abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals
Good evidence exists to support the use of N-acetylcysteine as an adjunct treatment to reduce the total and negative symptoms of schizophrenia .
N-acetylcysteine also appears to be effective in reducing craving in substance use disorders , especially for the treatment of cocaine and cannabis use among young people , in addition to preventing relapse in already abstinent individuals .
Oral N-acetylcysteine is safe and well tolerated without any considerable adverse effects .
N-acetylcysteine , a sulphur-containing amino acid for the treatment of paracetamol overdose and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , is a widely available off-the-shelf oral antioxidant supplement in many countries .
With the potential to modulate several neurological pathways , including glutamate dysregulation , oxidative stress , and inflammation that can be beneficial to the brain functions , N-acetylcysteine is being explored as an adjunctive therapy for many psychiatric conditions .
This narrative review synthesis es and presents the current evidence from systematic review s , meta-analyses , and latest clinical trials on N-acetylcysteine for addiction and substance abuse , schizophrenia , obsessive-compulsive and related disorders , and mood disorders .