From: Secretion properties, clearance, and therapy in airway disease
Mucoactive agent | Potential mechanisms of action |
---|---|
Expectorants | Â |
Mannitol powder | Â |
Hypertonic saline | Increases secretion volume and perhaps hydration |
Classical mucolytics | Â |
N-acetylcysteine | Severs disulfide bond linking mucin oligomers |
Ambroxil | Increases chloride secretion and severs disulfide bonds |
Peptide mucolytics | Â |
Dornase alfa | Hydrolyzes DNA polymer with reduction in DNA length |
Gelsolin or Thymosin β4 | Depolymerizes F-actin |
Non-destructive mucolytics | Â |
Dextran | Breaks hydrogen bonds |
Mucoregulatory agents | Â |
Anticholinergic agents | Decreases volume of stimulated secretions |
Glucocorticoids | Decreases airway inflammation and mucin secretion |
Indomethacin | Decrease airway inflammation |
Macrolide antibiotics | Decreases airway inflammation and mucin secretion |
Cough clearance promoters | Â |
Bronchodilators | Can improve cough by increasing expiratory flow |
Surfactants | Decreases sputum adhesiveness |