title: Mucolytics and antioxidant activity.
abstract: We investigated effects of the mucolytics ambroxol and N-acetylcysteine on airways reactivity evoked by histamine in guinea pigs exposed to toluene vapors. We did not find significant changes in reactivity of tracheal smooth muscle from animals treated with mucolytics compared to the control group. However, the administration of ambroxol and N-acetylcysteine caused a significant decrease in lung tissue reactivity. The effect of ambroxol was more pronounced after intraperitoneal injection than after inhalation, while N-acetylcysteine was only effective after inhalation. The protective effects of mucolytics in the lung tissue may be due to their antioxidant activity together with other mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Jessenius Medical School, Comenius University, Martin, Slovakia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Strapková
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nosál'ová
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Franová
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000551:Ambroxol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005100:Expectorants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014050:Toluene; D014132:Trachea / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005100:Expectorants; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000551:Ambroxol; D014050:Toluene; D000111:Acetylcysteine