N-acetylcysteine shows value in H1N1 therapy

A recent case has suggested that there may be a role for N-acetylcysteine in treating H1N1 pneumonia in clinical practice.
In the case, a 48-year-old woman with H1N1 pneumonia was admitted to the intensive care unit where she was treated with oral oseltamivir and intravenous antibiotics. The next day, her oseltamivir dose was doubled and she was started on a high-dose N-acetylcysteine.

According to her doctors, the patient improved rapidly on high-dose N-acetylcysteine therapy plus antiviral medications.
Since N-acetylcysteine is a category B drug for pregnancy and is an affordable drug with a stable oral formulation, the doctors said they believe that the drug could be advantageous for use in pregnant women and in countries with limited resources. From their findings, the doctors concluded that future studies could examine whether high-dose N-acetylcysteine could be useful in treating influenza.
Annals of Internal Medicine, May 18, 2010