Effect of N-acetylcysteine on the ciliary beat frequency of human bronchial explants

The effect of N-acetylcysteine on human bronchial cilia was evaluated by measuring the changes in ciliary beat frequency (CBF) on human bronchial explants exposed to 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% concentrations of N-acetylcysteine solution in nutrient medium. There was a progressive reduction in CBF at increasing concentration, indicating an inhibitory effect on human ciliary activity in vitro (P less than 0.05).