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MSM

Health News Archive 81 - Multiple Sclerosis
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• Alpha Lipoic Acid Lowers Markers for Multiple Sclerosis

Alpha Lipoic Acid Lowers Markers for Multiple Sclerosis

Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA) is a powerful antioxidant. Thirty-seven multiple sclerosis subjects were given alpha lipoic acid 1200 mg a day for 14 days. The results were positive. ALA was able to lower levels of two markers for multiple sclerosis called MMP-9 and CAMP-1. The researchers say, "ALA may prove useful in treating multiple sclerosis by inhibiting MMP-9 activity and interfering with T-cell migration into the CNS." MMP-9 is a matrix metalloproteinase substance which is high in multiple sclerosis patients. MMP-9 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer, autoimmune disease, and various pathologic conditions characterized by excessive fibrosis. The fact that ALA was able to reduce it is a positive indication.

Alpha Lipoic acid is an antioxidant that suppresses and treats an animal model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK), tolerability and effects on matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAMP-1) of oral Alpha Lipoic acid in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Thirty-seven multiple sclerosis subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo, Alpha Lipoic acid 600 mg twice a day, Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg once a day and Alpha Lipoic acid 1200 mg twice a day. Subjects took study capsules for 14 days.

We found that subjects taking 1200 mg Alpha Lipoic acid had substantially higher peak serum Alpha Lipoic acid levels than those taking 600 mg and that peak levels varied considerably among subjects. We also found a significant negative correlation between peak serum Alpha Lipoic acid levels and mean changes in serum MMP-9 levels. There was a significant dose response relationship between Alpha Lipoic acid and mean change in serum sICAM-1 levels.

We conclude that oral Alpha Lipoic acid is generally well tolerated and appears capable of reducing serum MMP-9 and sICAM-1 levels. Alpha Lipoic acid may prove useful in treating multiple sclerosis by inhibiting MMP-9 activity and interfering with T-cell migration into the CNS.

Source: Yadav V, Marracci G, Lovera J, Woodward W, Bogardus K, Marquardt W, Shinto L, Morris C, Bourdette D. Lipoic acid in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. Multiple Sclerosis. 2005 Apr;11(2):159-65.  Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, OR

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