Effect of acetylcysteine on experimental corneal wounds in dogs.

The effects of 3, 10 and 20% concentrations of acetylcysteine on experimental corneal wound healing in dogs were evaluated. Experimental corneal wounds were induced surgically, up to the depth of the anterior third of the stroma, in both eyes of 18 dogs. One of the eyes was treated topically with 0.9% NaCl solution three times a day. The contralateral eye was treated topically with acetylcysteine (3, 10 and 20% concentrations) in each of 6 cases separately. Corneal wounds were measured by fluorescein staining every day. The mean time of healing in the 3% group was significantly different from control eyes (6.17 +/- 1.94 days). It was 7.19 +/- 0.75 days in the 20% group and 7 +/- 2 days in the 10% group. The last two groups were not significantly different from the controls (9.67 +/- 3.01 days and 8.17 +/- 3.60 days, respectively).