TY - JOUR
T1 - α-Lipoic Acid and its Role on Female Reproduction
AU - Scambia, Giovanni
AU - Pontecorvi, Alfredo
AU - Di Simone, Nicoletta
AU - Ticconi, Carlo
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - α-lipoic Acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, is a biological thiol present in all types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. It has been shown that ALA or its reduced form, DHLA, has several positive effects on human health, acting as a biological antioxidant, metal chelator and detoxifying agent. It is able to reduce the oxidation of several antioxidant agents like glutathione, vitamins C and E, and modulate insulin and NF-kB signaling pathways. ALA’s pharmacological effects are not only related to its antioxidant properties but it shows an anti-inflammatory action. In particular, ALA is able to reduce inflammasome activity, the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18 and IL-17, interferon (INF)-γ as well as the production of Vascu-lar and Intercellular cell adhesion protein (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1). In recent papers, ALA has been indicated as a possible therapeutic approach to several endocrine or inflammatory disorders affecting female reproduction. Aim of the current review was to assess whether ALA has an evi-dence-based beneficial role on gynecological and obstetrical diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and miscarriage.
AB - α-lipoic Acid (ALA), also known as thioctic acid, is a biological thiol present in all types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. It has been shown that ALA or its reduced form, DHLA, has several positive effects on human health, acting as a biological antioxidant, metal chelator and detoxifying agent. It is able to reduce the oxidation of several antioxidant agents like glutathione, vitamins C and E, and modulate insulin and NF-kB signaling pathways. ALA’s pharmacological effects are not only related to its antioxidant properties but it shows an anti-inflammatory action. In particular, ALA is able to reduce inflammasome activity, the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18 and IL-17, interferon (INF)-γ as well as the production of Vascu-lar and Intercellular cell adhesion protein (VCAM-1 and ICAM-1). In recent papers, ALA has been indicated as a possible therapeutic approach to several endocrine or inflammatory disorders affecting female reproduction. Aim of the current review was to assess whether ALA has an evi-dence-based beneficial role on gynecological and obstetrical diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and miscarriage.
KW - Endometriosis
KW - Inflammation
KW - Miscarriage
KW - Thioctic Acid
KW - Recurrent pregnancy loss (R-PL)
KW - α-Lipoic acid (ALA)
KW - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
KW - Endometriosis
KW - Inflammation
KW - Miscarriage
KW - Thioctic Acid
KW - Recurrent pregnancy loss (R-PL)
KW - α-Lipoic acid (ALA)
KW - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/205776
U2 - 10.2174/1389203722666211029102417
DO - 10.2174/1389203722666211029102417
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 767
EP - 774
JO - Current Protein and Peptide Science
JF - Current Protein and Peptide Science
SN - 1389-2037
ER -