Oral N-acetylcysteine protects against perfluoroisobutene toxicity in rats

1 Perfluoroisobutene, a pyrolysis product of polytetrafluoroethane may cause pulmonary oedema and death when inhaled. Oral N-acetylcysteine has shown protection against inhalation of perfluoroisobutene and in this study we have tried to elucidate the mechanism by which protection is mediated, 2 Protection against the lethal effects of inhaled perfluoroisobutene has been shown when N-acetylcysteine has been orally administered 4, 6 or 8 h before gas exposure. 3 Plasma levels of cysteine, glutathione and N-acetylcysteine were increased for up to 7 h following oral administration of Nac, 4 N-acetylcysteine was aot detected in the bronchioalveolar lavage fluid following oral administration. 5 Duration of protection in vivo has been related to the duration of increased thiol levels in the plasma.