Background To determine whether N-acetylcysteine(NAC) reduces methemoglobin.
Method: We carried out an in vivo experiment in rats, weighed about 300g. Each rat was ingested 200mg of dapsone(4,4` diaminodiphenyl sulphone) to induce methemoglobinemia....
Background To determine whether N-acetylcysteine(NAC) reduces methemoglobin.
Method: We carried out an in vivo experiment in rats, weighed about 300g. Each rat was ingested 200mg of dapsone(4,4` diaminodiphenyl sulphone) to induce methemoglobinemia. After 1 hour, 30 rats were received NAC 160mg(2ml) and another 30 rats, served as control, were received 2ml of normal saline orally, 4 times hourly. Serum methemoglobin concentrations were checked 1,6, and 24 hours after dapsone ingestion.
Result: The methemoglobin concentrations on each time were 27.1±5.8%, 235±8.8%, 17.1±6.4%(mean±SD) in control group and 25.5±6.3%, 25.5±8.8%, 65.5±31.2%(mean±SD) in NAC group. There were no difference on methemoglobin concentrations at 1 and 6 hours between two groups(P>.05). At 24 hours, the methemoglobin concentrations of NAC group was significantly higher than those of control group(P<.01).
Conclusion: NAC had no therapeutic effects on dapsone induced methemoglobinemia in this experimental setting.