RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 No effect of oral N-acetylcysteine on the bioavailability of erythromycin and bacampicillin
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 171
OP 175
DO 10.1183/09031936.93.01020171
VO 1
IS 2
A1 O Paulsen
A1 L Borgstrom
A1 B Kagedal
A1 M Walder
YR 1988
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/1/2/171.abstract
AB In vitro studies with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) solutions used for inhalation treatment have demonstrated inactivation of some antibiotics by NAC. Oral NAC treatment is increasingly common for long-term prophylaxis in chronic bronchitis. During exacerbations, treatment with oral antibiotics will often be given simultaneously. We assessed the effect of simultaneous oral administration of NAC on the bioavailability of two antibiotics in ten healthy volunteers. No effect of NAC was found on the bioavailability of ampicillin, after administration of the prodrug bacampicillin. A slight, but not significant statistical increase in erythromycin serum levels was seen with NAC. Acetylator phenotype did not influence the absorption of NAC, which seemed slightly reduced by bacampicillin, but significantly increased by erythromycin. No decrease of antibacterial activity of sera was found in vitro after the addition of NAC or the related thiol glutathione, employing micrococcus luteus and staphylococcus aureus as indicator organisms.