Packer L, Kraemer K, Rimbach G
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, 1985 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90098-9121, USA.
Nutrition. 2001 Oct;17(10):888-95. doi: 10.1016/s0899-9007(01)00658-x.
Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) and its reduced form, dihydrolipoic acid, are powerful antioxidants. LA scavenges hydroxyl radicals, hypochlorous acid, peroxynitrite, and singlet oxygen. Dihydrolipoic acid also scavenges superoxide and peroxyl radicals and can regenerate thioredoxin, vitamin C, and glutathione, which in turn can recycle vitamin E. There are several possible sources of oxidative stress in diabetes including glycation reactions, decompartmentalization of transition metals, and a shift in the reduced-oxygen status of the diabetic cells. Diabetics have increased levels of lipid hydroperoxides, DNA adducts, and protein carbonyls. Available data strongly suggest that LA, because of its antioxidant properties, is particularly suited to the prevention and/or treatment of diabetic complications that arise from an overproduction of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In addition to its antioxidant properties, LA increases glucose uptake through recruitment of the glucose transporter-4 to plasma membranes, a mechanism that is shared with insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Further, recent trials have demonstrated that LA improves glucose disposal in patients with type II diabetes. In experimental and clinical studies, LA markedly reduced the symptoms of diabetic pathologies, including cataract formation, vascular damage, and polyneuropathy. To develop a better understanding of the preventative and therapeutic potentials of LA, much of the current interest is focused on elucidating its molecular mechanisms in redox dependent gene expression.
α-硫辛酸（LA）及其还原形式二氢硫辛酸是强大的抗氧化剂。LA能清除羟基自由基、次氯酸、过氧亚硝酸盐和单线态氧。二氢硫辛酸还能清除超氧自由基和过氧自由基，并能使硫氧还蛋白、维生素C和谷胱甘肽再生，而它们又能使维生素E循环利用。糖尿病中存在几种可能的氧化应激来源，包括糖基化反应、过渡金属的脱区室化以及糖尿病细胞中还原氧状态的改变。糖尿病患者脂质氢过氧化物、DNA加合物和蛋白质羰基的水平升高。现有数据有力地表明，由于其抗氧化特性，LA特别适合预防和/或治疗因活性氧和氮物种过度产生而引发的糖尿病并发症。除了其抗氧化特性外，LA还通过将葡萄糖转运蛋白4募集到质膜来增加葡萄糖摄取，这是一种与胰岛素刺激的葡萄糖摄取共有的机制。此外，最近的试验表明，LA能改善II型糖尿病患者的葡萄糖代谢。在实验和临床研究中，LA显著减轻了糖尿病病理症状，包括白内障形成、血管损伤和多发性神经病变。为了更好地理解LA的预防和治疗潜力，目前的许多研究兴趣集中在阐明其在氧化还原依赖性基因表达中的分子机制。
