Which of the following explains how acetylcysteine (Mucomyst) lowers the viscosity of mucus?
a. Breaking down DNA
b. Increasing the osmolarity of the mucus and pulling water into it
c. Changing the pH of the mucus, causing it to break down
d. Substituting its sulfhydryl group for disul-fide bonds and breaking a portion of the bond forming the gel structure
ANS: D
Acetylcysteine acts as a classic mucolytic to reduce the viscosity of mucus by substituting its own sulfhydryl group for the disulfide group in mucus, thereby breaking a portion of the bond forming the gel structure.
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