Intravenous N-acetylcysteine for the Treatment of Gaucher's Disease and Parkinson's Disease
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01427517 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : September 1, 2011
Results First Posted : August 2, 2013
Last Update Posted : November 1, 2019
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Parkinson's Disease Gaucher's Disease | Drug: N-acetylcysteine | Phase 1 |
Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Further, levels of glutathione (GSH), a prevalent endogenous antioxidant, are decreased in the postmortem substantia nigra (SN) of individuals with PD, indicating increased oxidative stress, although this has yet not been confirmed in vivo. Increases in intracellular oxidative stress have also been observed in primary fibroblast cultures obtained from patients with GD, where enzyme replacement therapy resulted in increases in total GSH. The hypothesis that oxidative stress plays a key role in the neurodegeneration associated with PD suggests that antioxidants may be useful in altering disease progression.
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a well-known antioxidant that is thought to act both as a free radical scavenger and as a cysteine donor for the synthesis of GSH. NAC may be beneficial in the treatment of PD and GD. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) methods may be able to determine if there are effects from NAC on central nervous system GSH levels. In addition, use of red blood cell (RBC) measurements of GSH, if correlated with brain concentrations, could serve as an easily measured biomarker to help characterize and monitor response to therapy. The investigators therefore propose to conduct a study of the effect of a single, intravenous dose of NAC on central (brain) measures of GSH and peripheral (RBC) measures of GSH in people with PD and healthy controls, through the use of simultaneous MRS techniques and pharmacokinetic studies. The investigators hypothesis and specific aims are as follows:
Hypothesis: RBC and brain GSH concentrations will increase following oral NAC administration in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), Gaucher's disease (GD), and control participants.
Specific Aims:
- Quantitate baseline plasma and red blood cell GSH concentrations in those with PD and GD and controls; and characterize NAC and GSH pharmacokinetics after a single intravenous NAC administration.
- Quantitate brain GSH levels (as ascertained through MRS) in those with PD and GD and controls at baseline and after a single intravenous NAC administration simultaneously with Aim 1.
- Construct a pharmacokinetic model to evaluate the relationship between peripheral (plasma and RBC) and central (brain) GSH measurements.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 9 participants |
Allocation: | Non-Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Single Group Assignment |
Masking: | None (Open Label) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | Intravenous N-acetylcysteine for the Treatment of Gaucher's Disease and Parkinson's Disease |
Study Start Date : | July 2011 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | December 2012 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2012 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
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Experimental: NAC in PD
single intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine in PD patients
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Drug: N-acetylcysteine
Single, intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine
Other Name: NAC |
Experimental: NAC in GD
single intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine in GD patients
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Drug: N-acetylcysteine
Single, intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine
Other Name: NAC |
Experimental: NAC in controls
single intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine in control subjects
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Drug: N-acetylcysteine
Single, intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine
Other Name: NAC |
- Brain GSH [ Time Frame: Baseline and up to 110 minutes post-NAC administration ]change in brain GSH levels from baseline to post-NAC administration (90 - 110 minutes) in all subjects

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- All participants must be 18 years or older.
- All enrollees must understand and cooperate with requirements of the study in the opinion of the investigators and must be able to provide written informed consent.
- Individuals with medically stable Parkinson's disease (in the opinion of the investigator).
- All participants must not have taken antioxidants coenzyme Q-10, vitamin C, or vitamin E for 3 weeks prior to the study.
- Absence of dementia in all subjects, as determined by pre-scanning cognitive assessment.
- Control subjects who are able to undergo MRS
Exclusion Criteria:
- Inability to undergo MRI scanning without sedation
- Medically unstable conditions in any group as determined by the investigators
- Pregnant or lactating or those women of child-bearing age that are not using acceptable forms of contraception
- Diagnosis of asthma that is presently being treated with ANY medication, or past history of asthma/bronchospasm resulting in an emergency room visit, hospitalization or treatment
- Unable to adhere to study protocol for whatever reason

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01427517
United States, Minnesota | |
University of Minnesota | |
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455 |
Principal Investigator: | Paul Tuite, MD | University of Minnesota |
Responsible Party: | University of Minnesota |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01427517 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
FWA00000312-2 U54NS065768 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
First Posted: | September 1, 2011 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | August 2, 2013 |
Last Update Posted: | November 1, 2019 |
Last Verified: | October 2019 |
Parkinson's disease Gaucher's disease Control |
Parkinson Disease Gaucher Disease Parkinsonian Disorders Basal Ganglia Diseases Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Diseases Movement Disorders Synucleinopathies Neurodegenerative Diseases Sphingolipidoses Lysosomal Storage Diseases, Nervous System Brain Diseases, Metabolic, Inborn Brain Diseases, Metabolic Metabolism, Inborn Errors |
Genetic Diseases, Inborn Lipidoses Lipid Metabolism, Inborn Errors Lysosomal Storage Diseases Metabolic Diseases Lipid Metabolism Disorders Acetylcysteine N-monoacetylcystine Antiviral Agents Anti-Infective Agents Expectorants Respiratory System Agents Free Radical Scavengers Antioxidants Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action |