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| nephrotoxicity without affecting its antitumor activity, is a promising antidote. The protective effects of GSH allow higher doses of cisplatin to be used safely, improving its efficacy against certain tumors. In one study, glutathione was given fifteen minutes before each cisplatin treatment in fifty-one patients with a total of 229 courses Of therapy. The high-dose regimen was tolerable, and no patient developed toxicity. Nephrotoxicity was minimal. The most frequent side effects were slight damage to ear nerves and surrounding nerve endings. In the thirty patients with ovarian cancer, 59 percent achieved complete clinical remission. Twenty-two out of twenty-six were negative on a second laparoscopy. The advantage of using N-acetyl cysteine together with high doses of cisplatin to raise glutathione was demonstrated by the impressive response rate in the treatment of ovarian cancer. 74 |
| N-Acetyl Cysteine |
| N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is an endogenous product of the sulphur-containing amino acid cysteine that can act as a precursor to glutathione (GSH). Without cysteine, glutathione Cannot be synthesized. Dietary cystine converts to cysteine in the intestinal tract and is more stable than cysteine itself. GSH is one of the most important antioxidants and is a significant anticarcinogen, especially in the lungs and liver where the highest level of GSH is found. GSH also plays a role in protecting the nervous system. Intracellular GSH is necessary for the multiplication of lymphocytes and antibody production, an essential part of the immune response process. Using NAC, lipoic acid, and vitamin C will raise intracellular glutathione levels more effectively than by simply using oral glutathione because oral glutathione is poorly absorbed. |
| NAC is a potent cancer-preventive agent. Some of the ways in which NAC aids in the prevention and treatment of cancer are: |
| It protects against extracellular mutagenic agents from exogenous and endogenous sources. |
| It inhibits genotoxicity of reactive oxygen species. |
| It blocks reactive oxygen species. |
| It protects DNA and nuclear enzymes. |
| It prevents the formation of carcinogen-DNA adducts.75 |
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