An experimental study of chemical debridement of full-thickness burn in rabbits by N-acetylcysteine

N-acetylcysteine, a mucolytic expectorant, was used for debridement of a full-thickness burn in rabbits. The drug was applied 24h postburn and repeated once a day. Debridement was completed in an average of 2.25 days with bloodless separation of any remaining eschar from the underlying healthy deep fascia layer by blunt dissection with a forceps. In the wounds treated with 25% N-acetylcysteine(pH 2.5), debridement was faster than those treated with glacial acetic acid mixture at the same pH. The debriding action of the drug is probably depolymerization of heat-denatured extracellular proteins (mainly denatured collagen and proteoglycans), disrupting specific linkage and lowering the molecular weight of eschar molecules. Acidity of the drug also promotes debriding process.