alpha lipoic acid

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, is a naturally occurring thiol-based antioxidant being evaluated by the British University In Egypt for the prevention of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in breast cancer patients. ALA acts as a potent scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and can regenerate other endogenous antioxidants such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Its mechanism of action involves the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling, which leads to a decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-6, and an increase in anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10. By mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation, ALA is hypothesized to protect the myocardium from the toxic effects of anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens.

Brand names

Thiotacid

Other names

thioctic acid1,2-dithiolane-3-pentanoic acid