Burning mouth syndrome (BMS): an open trial of comparative efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid (thioctic acid) with other therapies.
BACKGROUND
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a potent antioxidant mitochondrial coenzyme, trometamol salt of thioctic acid, shown in clinical studies to be neuroprotective and in a preliminary study to have an effect on the symptomatology of Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS).


METHODS
We were interested in extending our studies as to whether alpha-lipoic acid might improve the symptomatology in BMS and therefore carried out a larger open controlled clinical study on the effects of alpha-lipoic acid on BMS symptomatology.


RESULTS
We have examined the effects on 4 groups of 20 patients with BMS of ALA, compared with bethanecol, Biotene and placebo, and found ALA of remarkable benefit with minimal adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that double-blind randomized controlled multicenter studies of ALA are indicated.
Femiano
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Stomatology Clinic II, University of Medicine and Surgery, Naples, Italy.
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018723:Bethanechol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005949:Glucose Oxidase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007784:Lactoperoxidase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009113:Muramidase / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014993:Xylitol / Q000627:therapeutic use
C111669:Biotene; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009067:Mouthwashes; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018723:Bethanechol; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D005949:Glucose Oxidase; D007784:Lactoperoxidase; D009113:Muramidase; D014993:Xylitol