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Review
. 2024 Mar 18;12(3):676.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines12030676.

The Use and Potential Benefits of N-Acetylcysteine in Non-Acetaminophen Acute Liver Failure: An Etiology-Based Review

Mihai Popescu  1   2 , Angelica Bratu  2 , Mihaela Agapie  1   2 , Tudor Borjog  1   2 , Mugurel Jafal  1   2 , Romina-Marina Sima  3 , Carmen Orban  1   2
Affiliations
Review

The Use and Potential Benefits of N-Acetylcysteine in Non-Acetaminophen Acute Liver Failure: An Etiology-Based Review

Mihai Popescu et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Acute liver failure represents a life-threatening organ dysfunction with high mortality rates and an urgent need for liver transplantation. The etiology of the disease varies widely depending on various socio-economic factors and is represented mainly by paracetamol overdose and other drug-induced forms of liver dysfunction in the developed world and by viral hepatitis and mushroom poisoning in less developed countries. Current medical care constitutes either specific antidotes or supportive measures to ensure spontaneous recovery. Although it has been proven to have beneficial effects in paracetamol-induced liver failure, N-acetylcysteine is widely used for all forms of acute liver failure. Despite this, few well-designed studies have been conducted on the assessment of the potential benefits, dose regimens, or route of administration of N-acetylcysteine in non-acetaminophen liver failure. This review aims to summarize the current evidence behind the use of this drug in different forms of liver failure.

Keywords: N-acetylcysteine; acute liver failure management; non-acetaminophen acute liver failure; survival.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Potential mechanism of action for N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in patients with non-acetaminophen acute liver failure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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