Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation prevents symptoms of vitamin E deficiency.
alpha-Lipoic acid, an essential cofactor in mitochondrial dehydrogenases, has recently been shown to be a potent antioxidant in vitro, as well as being capable of regenerating vitamin E in vitro. In this study, using a new animal model for rapid vitamin E deficiency in adult animals and a new technique for tissue extraction of oxidized and reduced alpha-lipoic acid, we examined the antioxidant action of alpha-lipoic acid in vivo. Vitamin E-deficient adult hairless mice displayed obvious symptoms of deficiency within five weeks, but if the diet was supplemented with alpha-lipoic acid the animals were completely protected. At five weeks on a vitamin E-deficient diet animals exhibited similar decreases in tissue vitamin E levels, whether supplemented or unsupplemented with alpha-lipoic acid: vitamin E levels in liver, kidney, heart, and skin decreased 70 to 85%; levels in brain decreased only 25%. These data show that there was no effect of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on vitamin E tissue concentrations, arguing against a role for alpha-lipoic acid in regenerating vitamin E in vivo.
Podda
M
M
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, 94720-3200.
Tritschler
H J
HJ
Ulrich
H
H
Packer
L
L
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D014811:Vitamin E Deficiency / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control
D014810:Vitamin E; D008063:Thioctic Acid; C015144:dihydrolipoic acid