N-acetylcysteine added to saliva does not affect IgA concentration or the agglutination of Streptococcus mutans in vitro.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or placebo were mixed with parotid or whole saliva to a final concentration of 0.004-10 mg/ml saliva. Placebo and NAC-containing parotid saliva had the same bacterial agglutinating capacity for 4 strains of Streptococcus mutans. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentration in whole saliva, using ELISA and single radial immunodiffusion assays, did not reveal any differences between NAC and placebo-treated samples. NAC did not affect the immunoelectrophoretic pattern of IgA.
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000371:Agglutination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*; D013607:Tablets
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D013607:Tablets; D000111:Acetylcysteine