United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Journal of Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Injury

Alpha-Lipoic Acid to prevent neural damage after crush injury to the rat sciatic nerve

Maurizio Ranieri1, Manuela Sciuscio1, Annamaria Cortese1, Marilena Stasi1, Francesco Panza2, Marisa Megna1, Pietro Fiore3 and Andrea Santamato3*

Abstract
Objective: Crush injury to the sciatic nerve causes oxidative stress. Alfa Lipoic acid (a-LA) is a
neuroprotective metabolic antioxidant. This study was designed to investigate the antioxidant
effects of pretreatment with a-LA on the crush injury of rat sciatic nerve.
Methods: Forty rats were randomized into four groups. Group I and Group II received saline (2
ml, intraperitoneally) and a-LA (100 mg/kg, 2 ml, intraperitoneally) in the groups III and IV at the 24 and 1 hour prior to the crush injury. In groups II, III and IV, the left sciatic nerve was exposed and compressed for 60 seconds with a jeweler's forceps. In Group I (n = 10), the sciatic nerve was explored but not crushed. In all groups of rats, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in samples of sciatic nerve tissue.

Results: Compared to Group I, Group II had significantly decreased tissue SOD and CAT activitiesand elevated MDA levels indicating crush injury (p < 0.05). In the a-LA treatment groups (groupsIII and IV), tissue CAT and SOD activities were significantly increased and MDA levels significantlydecreased at the first hour (p < 0.05) and on the 3rd day (p < 0.05). There was no significantdifference between a-LA treatment groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: A-LA administered before crush injury of the sciatic nerve showed significant protective effects against crush injury by decreasing the oxidative stress. A-LA should be considered in the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries, but further studies are needed to explain the mechanism of its neuroprotective effects.

Top Ten Ways To Feel Better With Alpha Lipoic Acid

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2) Feel Better With The R-Form: Know What ALA Is Not
There are two forms of ALA (called S-form and R-form) and when I refer to it, I am talking about R-form alpha lipoic acid because it is the naturally occurring form in the body and is bound to protein, acting as an essential cofactor in biological systems. S-form is a synthetic alpha lipoic acid and is not very biologically active. When you take alpha lipoic acid, it is ideal for you to get the R-form because it will be able to bind with and permeate cells to support mitochondria. The S-form is not effective.

Alpha lipoic acid is different from alpha linolenic acid, which is an omega-3 fatty acid that is found in plants such as flaxseed. It is completely different from, but often confused with, the ALA we are talking about in this article.

There is another “ALA” that confuses things even more. Linoleic acid is occasionally confused with alpha lipoic acid and alpha linolenic acid (the omega-3). Don’t be confused. Linoleic acid is an omega-6 fatty acid that comes from vegetable oils such as corn, safflower, and sunflower, but it is also found in flax. Just remember that you want R-form alpha lipoic acid—the potent antioxidant that will make you lean and energized.

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9) Treat Pain With ALA And Recover Faster
The antioxidant effect of ALA makes it a beneficial treatment for nerve pain and sciatica—pain or weakness in the lower back from injury to the sciatic nerve. Taking ALA in conjunction with essential fatty acids has been shown to decrease pain levels, and when paired with a rehabilitation program, it is even more effective.

One study in the journal International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology found that giving a supplement of ALA and gamma linolenic acid in conjunction with rehabilitation to sufferers of lower back pain with sciatica significantly lowered pain ratings and decreased feelings of numbness and tingling. The outcome from the ALA-GLA supplement was much greater thanthe results in a group of back pain patients who only underwent rehab. The ALA-GLA supplement group also had a dramatic decrease in reports of stabbing and burning pain in the lumbar region, and had much better mobility and quality of life.

Improvements were likely due to reduced oxidative stress and inflammation, which led to a decrease in nerve damage. Researchers were impressed that there appeared to be nerve regeneration from the ALA.

10) ALA Protects The Heart And Lowers Blood Pressure
ALA has been shown to provide cardiovascular protection due to its antioxidant effect. ALA can lower blood pressure, prevent atherosclerosis, and improve insulin health, and body composition—all of which decrease cardiovascular risk factors. One study of mice that were fed a high fat diet found that ALA supplementation reduced atherosclerotic lesions by 55 percent, while decreasing body weight gain by 40 percent.

Atherosclerotic lesions produce a hardening of the vascular arteries, which leads to heart disease and greater risk of heart attacks. In this study, researchers found that because ALA improved metabolism, it also appeared to have an affect on appetite suppression, while simultaneously stimulating higher levels of physical activity. The mice had more energy and were more “motivated.”

Why People Use Alpha Lipoic Acid

1) Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy can be caused by injury, nutritional deficiencies, chemotherapy or by conditions such as diabetes, Lyme disease, alcoholism, shingles, thyroid disease, and kidney failure. Symptoms can include pain, burning, numbness, tingling, weakness, and itching.

Alpha lipoic acid is thought to work as an antioxidant in both water and fatty tissue, enabling it to enter all parts of the nerve cell and protect it from damage.

Preliminary studies suggest that alpha lipoic acid may help. In one of the largest studies on the use of alpha lipoic acid, 181 people took 600 mg, 1200 mg or 1800 mg of alpha lipoic acid a day or a placebo. After 5 weeks, alpha lipoic acid improved symptoms. The dose that was best tolerated while still providing benefit was 600 mg once daily.