Alpha-lipoic acid prevents mitochondrial damage and neurotoxicity in experimental chemotherapy neuropathy

[Guest guest]

This new paper adds more weight to the body of evidence that suggests

that alpha-lipoic acid may help prevent some nerve damage due to the

kinds of mitochondrial damage that mycotoxins are also known to

produce.

Quite a few chemotherapy drugs are based on mycotoxins. In fact, the

strongest trichothecene toxins in stachybotrys were examined as

possible immunosuppressant drugs but the study was discontinued

because they were too toxic.

(Another stachybotrys toxin, a cyclosporin similar to cyclosporin A,

IS a widely used drug for immunosuppression.)

(Also read the related papers to this paper for more papers and links.)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18809400

Exp Neurol. 2008 Dec;214(2):276-84. Epub 2008 Sep 9.

Alpha-lipoic acid prevents mitochondrial damage and neurotoxicity in

experimental chemotherapy neuropathy.

Melli G, Taiana M, Camozzi F, Triolo D, Podini P, Quattrini A, Taroni

F, Lauria G.

Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Foundation Neurological Institute

Carlo Besta, Via Celoria, 11 20133, Milan, Italy.

giorgia.m

The study investigates if alpha-lipoic acid is neuroprotective

against chemotherapy induced neurotoxicity, if mitochondrial damage

plays a critical role in toxic neurodegenerative cascade, and if

neuroprotective effects of alpha-lipoic acid depend on mitochondria

protection. We used an in vitro model of chemotherapy induced

peripheral neuropathy that closely mimic the in vivo condition by

exposing primary cultures of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory

neurons to paclitaxel and cisplatin, two widely used and highly

effective chemotherapeutic drugs. This approach allowed investigating

the efficacy of alpha-lipoic acid in preventing axonal damage and

apoptosis and the function and ultrastructural morphology of

mitochondria after exposure to toxic agents and alpha-lipoic acid. Our

results demonstrate that both cisplatin and paclitaxel cause early

mitochondrial impairment with loss of membrane potential and induction

of autophagic vacuoles in neurons. Alpha-lipoic acid exerts

neuroprotective effects against chemotherapy induced neurotoxicity in

sensory neurons: it rescues the mitochondrial toxicity and induces the

expression of frataxin, an essential mitochondrial protein with

anti-oxidant and chaperone properties. In conclusion mitochondrial

toxicity is an early common event both in paclitaxel and cisplatin

induced neurotoxicity. Alpha-lipoic acid protects sensory neurons

through its anti-oxidant and mitochondrial regulatory functions,

possibly inducing the expression of frataxin. These findings suggest

that alpha-lipoic acid might reduce the risk of developing peripheral

nerve toxicity in patients undergoing chemotherapy and encourage

further confirmatory clinical trials.

PMID: 18809400 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Guest guest]

---

This is interesting because I took ALA for the first year after my

diagnosis of mycotoxicosis and it seemd to help. Then after coming to

Dallas I was told that ALA should not be taken if you have mercury

fillings in your teeth as the ALA will allow your body to absorb it

somehow. Have you ever read anything about that Live ?? Thanks Diane

In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...>

wrote:

>

> This new paper adds more weight to the body of evidence that

suggests

> that alpha-lipoic acid may help prevent some nerve damage due to the

> kinds of mitochondrial damage that mycotoxins are also known to

> produce.

>

[Guest guest]

Diane, I had my mercury fillings removed, at the time had mercury

show up in hair analysis, second to lead, after a lead paint exposure

and a few years after having the mercury fillings removed and a

variety of detox measures, my hair analysis came back with no lead or

mercury so you can remove. I'm not sure which of the detox methods

worked or if just removing them from my mouth is what did it. Some

fillings in my teeth on occasion were lost and had to be replaced,

and they were mercury so I was swallowing them or bits of them

without knowing it, but it can be costly. You need to find a dentist

that does that kind of thing using procedures that protect you from

the mercury during the process of having them removed.

>

> ---

> This is interesting because I took ALA for the first year after my

> diagnosis of mycotoxicosis and it seemd to help. Then after coming

to

> Dallas I was told that ALA should not be taken if you have mercury

> fillings in your teeth as the ALA will allow your body to absorb it

> somehow. Have you ever read anything about that Live ?? Thanks

Diane

[Guest guest]

Alpha-lipoic acid has shown a lot of benefit in so many areas- I would

take a lot of the stuff many people on the net say with skepticism.

(including myself, always!

When I surf, I write down the pros and cons of everything.. PubMed

should be one of your primary sources and the anecdotal empirical

reports you hear from people should be averaged out.. Some people

clearly have axes to grind.. that may or may not be relevant. dont be

passive in this

If you go to PubMed there is a huge amount of stuff on mercury amalgam

dental restorations and health.

Many people use the various Internet fora as marketing vehicles for

this or that product, while others clearly try to steer people away

from things that have proven to help. Yes, every person is different,

yes, people on the Net may often not have any credentials, yes there

are many forces at play. Be critical, be wise...

Clearly, mercury is a persistant environmental pollutant in all its

forms and its a serious, growing health problem.

One of its most destructive properties is the destruction of the

body's detoxification mechanisms (especially glutathione pathway)

ALA helps your body quite a bit with that..

People manufacture their own ALA in their bodies, around 25 mg a day..

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 12:54 PM, dianebolton52 <dianebolton@...> wrote:

[Guest guest]

Diane (and Barb),

What do you think

is the best way

to handle explaining

or helping someone find

....out themselves, (much harder,

but in many nonurgent situations a good goal..)

something complex

like this?

making it possible for them to see many sides of an issue, with

appropriate weighing

of the various options, and somehow, links to original sources - that way,

they can hopefully develop the sixth sense(s?)

as well as solve their immediate issue.

The challenge whenever you are condensing data, is (duh me...)

not leaving anything important out..

[Guest guest]

Some people have reactions to ALA, which some people theorize is due

to the chelating effects of ALA -

Other people don't.

The simplest answer is to start with a low amount and stop it if your

body is telling you something isn't right.

The truth is, these things ARE complex, and a small but significant

number of people have issues..

Personally, I don't think I have with ALA, but others have, just like

Barb has had

bad reactions to cholestyramine, for example.

I know that the methylation pathways are important to have working first.

This is a subject people have written books on, again, its very much

something to do some research on.

I wish I had the time to try to explain it but the truth is, others

could do it far better.. (Rich Van K on the various CFS groups has

done a LOT of research on this. Within the context of mold illness

too..)

This subject has never been covered here in any depth, unfortunately,

and it really needs to have a *team* of people devote some serious

time to do justice to..

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 12:54 PM, dianebolton52 <dianebolton@...> wrote:

> ---

> This is interesting because I took ALA for the first year after my

> diagnosis of mycotoxicosis and it seemd to help.

[Guest guest]

I would say you really can't make someone " see the light " on mold

issues. You tell them what you know, and let them make their own

decision. That's what it is to be an adult, to make your own decisions

and let other adults make their decisions. If it's a child, you decide

for them. So if you are straining to get your point across, you

probably are trying to make them make a decision that you think is

right, and that is wrong.

--- In , LiveSimply <quackadillian@...>

wrote:

>

>> What do you think

> is the best way

> to handle explaining

> or helping someone find

> ...out themselves,