2008/04/11 by Kate Petersen Shay, Régis Moreau, Eric Smith +1 · 1 citation
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Nursing · Medicine · Chemistry · #Biochemical Acid Research Studies #Vitamin C and Antioxidants Research #Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency #Oxidative stress #Reactive oxygen species #Antioxidant #Reactive nitrogen species #Chemistry #Lipoic acid #Alpha-Lipoic Acid #Biochemistry #Endogeny #Scavenger #Cell biology #Biology
paper · doi:10.1002/iub.40
openalex publication_date 2008/04/11 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The chemical reduction and oxidation (redox) properties of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) suggest that it may have potent antioxidant potential. A significant number of studies now show that LA and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), directly scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) species and protect cells against a host of insults where oxidative stress is part of the underlying etiology. However, owing to its limited and transient accumulation in tissues following oral intake, the efficacy of nonprotein-bound LA to function as a physiological antioxidant has been questioned. Herein, we review the evidence that the micronutrient functions of LA may be more as an effector of important cellular stress response pathways that ultimately influence endogenous cellular antioxidant levels and reduce proinflammatory mechanisms. This would promote a sustained improvement in cellular resistance to pathologies where oxidative stress is involved, which would not be forthcoming if LA solely acted as a transient ROS scavenger.