Chemopreventive Effects of Alpha Lipoic Acid on Obesity-Related Cancers

Abstract

Background: It has been generally accepted that being overweight or obese is a risk factor for several types of cancers, including breast, thyroid, colon, pancreatic and liver. In fact, people who are obese have more fat tissues that can produce hormones, such as insulin or estrogen, which may cause cancer cells to grow. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) is anorganosulfur compound derived from octanoic acid, which is produced in animals normally, and is essential for aerobic metabolism. Summary: Studies in both in vitro cells and in vivo animal models have shown that ALA inhibits the initiation and promotion stages of carcinogenesis, suggesting that ALA has considerable attention as a chemopreventive agent. This brief review collects the scattered data available in the literature concerning ALA and highlights its anti-cancer properties, intermediary metabolism and exploratory implications. Key Messages: Based on scientific evidences so far, ALA might be useful agents in the management or chemoprevention of obesity-related cancers.

Chemoprevention and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Update and Review of the Literature

“…Moreover, people with more fat tissue produce more hormones like insulin, and their cell proliferation is upregulated [51]. Alpha lipoic acid is an organosulfur compound and has anti-oxidative functions.…”

“…Alpha lipoic acid is an organosulfur compound and has anti-oxidative functions. Pre-treatment with Alpha lipoic acid reduces oxidant formation [51]. Matrix metalloproteases and glucose-induced adenosine triphosphate production are increased, uncoupling protein 2 mRNA and the consecutive protein expression is regulated and glucosestimulated insulin secretion is restored [51].…”

“…Pre-treatment with Alpha lipoic acid reduces oxidant formation [51]. Matrix metalloproteases and glucose-induced adenosine triphosphate production are increased, uncoupling protein 2 mRNA and the consecutive protein expression is regulated and glucosestimulated insulin secretion is restored [51]. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathways play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer, especially in obese patients [52].…”

Functional and structural changes of the urinary bladder following spinal cord injury; treatment with alpha lipoic acid

“…α‐Lipoic acid (LA) is an organosulphur compound derived from octanoic acid. Because of their unique characteristics to work both in hydrophilic and lipophilic environments, LA and its reduced form dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) have gained considerable attention as biological thiol antioxidants, which are central to antioxidant defense in nervous system tissues …”

“…Because of their unique characteristics to work both in hydrophilic and lipophilic environments, LA and its reduced form dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) have gained considerable attention as biological thiol antioxidants, which are central to antioxidant defense in nervous system tissues. [7][8][9][10] We have previously demonstrated that α-LA shows neuroprotective effects in various models of neurotrauma including SCI. [11][12][13] Based on our observations, we further hypothesized that decreasing neuronal degeneration with LA could be protective against neurogenic bladder induced by SCI, and could reverse the functional, structural, and biochemical alterations in the neurogenic bladder.…”