NAC found to protect kidneys against VENOM damage (no wonder FDA wants to ban it)

A 2014 study published in the journal Toxicon shows that N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) is a powerful remedy against animal venom poisoning.

Researchers from Instituto Butantan in Brazil studied the effects of NAC on mice injected with Bothrops jararaca (a highly venomous pit viper snake) and Crotalus durissus terrificus (tropical rattlesnake) venoms. Since NAC is a well-known nephroprotective antioxidant with low toxicity, the researchers figured it might be a powerful remedy – and they were right.

“In controls, NAC was found to promote hypercreatinemia, hypouremia, hyperosmolality with decreased urea in urine, hyperproteinuria, decreased protein and increased dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) in membrane-bound fraction (MF) from renal cortex (RC) and medulla (RM),” the study explains.

“NAC ameliorated or normalized altered creatinuria, proteinemia and aminopeptidase (AP) acid in MF, AP basic (APB) in soluble fraction (SF), and neutral AP in SF and MF from RC and RM in vBj envenomation. NAC ameliorated or normalized altered neutral AP in SF from RC and RM, and DPPIV and protein in MF from RC in vCdt envenomation. NAC ameliorated or restored renal redox status respectively in vCdt and vBj, and normalized uricemia in both envenomations.”

Based on this, the researchers concluded that the data is “promising,” and that NAC deserves more clinical evaluation as a potential co-adjuvant in anti-serotherapy. In short, NAC appears to be a powerful remedy for snake and other venomous animal bites.