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Mucolytic

• A free sulfhydryl group cleaves the disulfide bonds cross-linking mucin glycoproteins → sputum viscosity falls
• A specific chemistry, not a general "thins mucus" claim — it is thiol–disulfide interchange
• Distinct from an expectorant, which mobilizes secretions without altering mucin chemistry

Drugs with this mechanism (2)

• Acetylcysteine — Glutathione precursor and mucolytic; the antidote for acetaminophen poisoning.
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — Glutathione precursor; the antidote for acetaminophen overdose, also a mucolytic.

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