Antioxidant Therapy and Cystic Fibrosis – Part 1

Cystic Fibrosis is a congenital disease of children and adults which affects the lungs, intestines and pancreas. The disease is known as CF and is an inherited disease that involves the exocrine glands. These glands produce abnormally viscous mucus that causes chronic respiratory and digestive problems. In the past several years medical research has made vast improvements on the treatment modalities to increase the lifespan of people who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis. (1)

One of the treatment protocols being researched is the use of antioxidants to reduce the effects of CF on the body. In a research study published in 2004 in Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine researchers proposed that antioxidants are promising in the development of treatment approaches for individuals with CF. Several antioxidants have been found to have mucolytic and anti-inflammatory properties. Mucolytic agents will dissolve thick mucus and used to help relieve respiratory problems. (2)

Antioxidants such as zinc and Vitamin C may also increase the epithelial chloride secretion which helps to decrease the symptoms which individuals suffer.

Reactive free radical are also known to play an important role in the degeneration of tissue in lung diseases like Cystic Fibrosis and Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). These free radicals can originate from normal body processes such as metabolism or from sources outside the body, such as smoking, alcohol, ozone or asbestos. Therefore the use of antioxidants to enhance the defense mechanisms in these disorders seems logical and rational. (3,4)

To this end two drugs, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and ambroxol have been investigated because of their actions in the role of antioxidants and mucuolytic agents. NAC is an effective treatment in other instances and has been theorized to be protective against the side effects of other drugs and will reduce inflammation at the cellular level.

References:

(1) Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: About cystic fibrosis

http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

(2) Current Opinion in Pulmonary medicine: Potential for Antioxidant Therapy for cystic Fibrosis

http://journals.lww.com/co-pulmonarymedicine/Abstract/2004/11000/Potential_for_antioxidant_therapy_of_cystic.14.aspx

(3) Rice University: Antioxidants and Free Radicals

http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/antiox.html

(4) Current Neuropharmacology: Oxidative Stress and Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Review of Upstream and Downstream Antioxidant Therapeutic Options

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2724665/

(5) Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology: Rationale for Antioxidant Therapy in Pancreatitis and Cystic Fibrosis

(6) Revista Espanola de Enfermedades Digestivas: Use of Antioxidants to Treat Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10985097