title: [An experimental study of chemical debridement of full-thickness burn in rabbits by N-acetylcysteine].
abstract: N-acetylcysteine, a mucolytic expectorant, was used for debridement of a full-thickness burn in rabbits. The drug was applied 24h postburn and repeated once a day. Debridement was completed in an average of 2.25 days with bloodless separation of any remaining eschar from the underlying healthy deep fascia layer by blunt dissection with a forceps. In the wounds treated with 25% N-acetylcysteine(pH 2.5), debridement was faster than those treated with glacial acetic acid mixture at the same pH. The debriding action of the drug is probably depolymerization of heat-denatured extracellular proteins (mainly denatured collagen and proteoglycans), disrupting specific linkage and lowering the molecular weight of eschar molecules. Acidity of the drug also promotes debriding process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang Medical University, Hangzhou.
authors.forename: Y D
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003553:Cystine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D003553:Cystine; C030905:N-monoacetylcystine