N-Acetylcysteine and Probenecid Adjuvant Therapy for Traumatic Brain Injury

N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) has shown promise as a putative neurotherapeutic for traumatic brain injury (TBI). Yet, many such promising compounds have limited ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), achieve therapeutic concentrations in brain, demonstrate target engagement, among other things, that have hampered successful translation. A pharmacologic strategy for overcoming poor BBB permeability and/or efflux out of the brain of organic acid-based, small molecule therapeutics such as NAC is co-administration with a targeted or nonselective membrane transporter inhibitor. Probenecid is a classic ATP-binding cassette and solute carrier inhibitor that blocks transport of organic acids, including NAC. Accordingly, combination therapy using probenecid as an adjuvant with NAC represents a logical neurotherapeutic strategy for treatment of TBI (and other CNS diseases). We have completed a proof-of-concept pilot study using this drug combination in children with severe TBI-the Pro-NAC Trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01322009). In this review, we will discuss the background and rationale for combination therapy with probenecid and NAC in TBI, providing justification for further clinical investigation.