α-Lipoic (thioctic) acid (ALA) – is a vitamin-like substance with a high antioxidant potential and a positive effect on the carbohydrate and fat metabolism. ALA is an effective and safe agent for medicinal treatment of any liver disease, where the oxidative stress and imbalance of hydrocarbon and lipid metabolism play a key pathogenic role. In addition, ALA counteracts various hepatotoxic substances and neutralizes inflammatory factors (Goraca A. et al., 2011).
α-Lipoic acid, through its active tiolic groups, can deactivate toxic metabolites of ethanol, especially acetic aldehyde, that accounts for most alcoholic lesions of target organ (Bueverov А.О., Mayevskaya М.V., Ivashkin V.Т., 2001). Moreover, ALA accelerates the utilization of toxic ammonia into non-toxic urea which is especially important for patients with ging liver and hepatic encephalopathy (Liang J.F., Akaike T., 2000). An additional reason to use ALA for treatment of ALD is the chance to influence the associated nervous system impairment - the alcoholic polyneuropathy and encephalopathy. Controlled clinical studies have demonstrated a reduction of neuropathy symptoms including the pain syndrome against the background of intravenous infusions and oral administration of ALA.
The wide range of ALA applications includes such frequent and socially significant diseases as diabetic neuropathy, non-alcoholic and alcoholic fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, as well as industrial and domestic poisonings, drug-induced liver injuries. Due to the high efficacy and safety, ALA became a versatile instrument in hands of general practitioners and family doctors.
Published in the newspaper «Zdorovye Ukrainy» №3(33)'2014 (in Russian)
