title: The effect of N-acetyl cysteine on serum glutathione, TNF-alpha and tissue malondialdehyde levels in the treatment of sepsis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Nacetyl cysteine (NAC) on the levels of reactive oxygen species in sepsis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 30 Sprague-Dawley female rats weighing 180- 200 g were used. Rats were randomized into three groups, each containing 10 rats, as follows: Group I: Sham, Group II: Sepsis and Group III: Sepsis+NAC. Group I underwent only laparotomy. In Groups II and III, sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) technique. NAC (20 mg/kg/ day) was administered orally to Group III at 0, 8 and 16 hours. At the 24th hour, tissue and blood samples were taken for erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) and serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? levels, histopathological determination, and lung, liver and kidney tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Group III was significantly different from the other groups with respect to erythrocyte glutathione, serum TNF-? and kidney MDA levels (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding liver MDA levels and histopathological parameters for lung, liver and kidney (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAC treatment had beneficial effects on erythrocyte GSH, serum TNF-?, lung function, and kidney MDA levels in sepsis-induced rats. However, this beneficial effect was not confirmed as histopathological improvement. Further research is needed to prove the effect of NAC in sepsis treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Selçuk University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gül
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ayan
authors.forename: Abdüsselam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seydanoğlu
authors.forename: Başar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cander
authors.forename: Sadık
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Girişgin
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Erayman
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Erdem
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000097:blood*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine