Interactions with Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid (100 mg/kg/day) in rats treated with amikacin significantly reduced cochlear damage caused by ototoxic doses of this drug (Conlon et al. 1999). Treatment with alpha-lipoic acid (25 mg/kg/day) also ameliorated the oxidative stress caused by gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day) in rats (Sandhya and Varalakshmi 1997). Gentamicin-induced oxidative stress is thought to underlie the potentially serious renal side effects associated with this drug.

Cisplatin

A study comparing alpha-lipoic acid at several different doses (25 to 100 mg/kg), with and without cisplatin, concluded that the alpha-lipoic acid conferred significant protection against cisplatin ototoxicity at all dose levels in rats (Rybak et al. 1999). This effect was associated with improvements in glutathione metabolic markers and reduced oxidative stress.

Cyclophosphamide

Preclinical evidence suggests that alpha-lipoic acid may protect against the cytotoxic effects induced by cyclophosphamide (Faust et al. 1994). Supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid significantly reduced the incidence of cyclophosphamide-induced diabetes in mice.

Levothyroxine

In rats, alpha-lipoic acid (7.5 mg/100 g/day) inhibited enzymatic conversion of triiodothyronine (T₃) to thyroxine (T₄) (Segermann et al. 1991). Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation with T₄ also had an apparent synergistic effect on serum cholesterol, producing significantly greater depression than T₄ alone. Blood hormone levels and thyroid function tests should be monitored for this potential interaction.

References

Conlon BJ, Aran JM, Erre JP, et al. Attenuation of aminoglycoside-induced cochlear damage with the metabolic antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid. Hear Res. 1999;128:40-44.

Faust A, Burkart V, Ulrich H, et al. Effect of lipoic acid on cyclophosphamide-induced diabetes and insulitis in non-obese diabetic mice. Int J Immunopharmacol. 1994;16:61-66.

Rybak LP, Husain K, Whitworth C, et al. Dose dependent protection by lipoic acid against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats: antioxidant defense system. Toxicol Sci. 1999;47:195-202.

Sandhya P, Varalakshmi P. Effect of lipoic acid administration on gentamicin-induced lipid peroxidation in rats. J Appl Toxicol. 1997;17:405-408.

Segermann J, Hotze A, Ulrich H, et al. Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on the peripheral conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine and on serum lipid-, protein- and glucose levels. Arzneimittelforschung. 1991;41:1294-1298.

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