Lipoic Acid Supplementation Inhibits Lesion Development in Atherosclerotic Mouse Model

Wei-Jan Zhang, M.D., Ph.D.
Linus Pauling Institute and Oregon State University,
NIEHS Grant R03ES11542

NIEHS-supported research has determined that dietary supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid reduces the formation of fatty plaques in two mouse models of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis and its associated vascular complications are the principal cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) leading to heart attacks and stroke. These diseases represent the principal cause of death in Western civilizations, accounting for more than 40% of all deaths. According to the American Heart Association’s 2003 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update, almost 62 million Americans suffer from CVDs, which have been the number one killer in the U.S. for more than nine decades.

Alpha-lipoic acid is a naturally occurring compound that appears to be useful in treating conditions associated with oxidative stress. For example, alpha-lipoic acid has been safely used for more than 30 years in Europe to prevent and treat complications associated with diabetes and cataracts.

Mice were fed diets containing either normal or high amounts of fat and cholesterol with or without 0.2 percent lipoic acid. The animals receiving the lipoic acid supplementation had significantly reduced numbers of aortic lesions, had 40 percent less body weight gain, and had lower serum triglyceride levels. The lipoic acid supplementation also reduced the expression of aortic adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines. The authors conclude that lipoic acid “may be a useful adjunct in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic vascular diseases.”

Citation: Zhang WJ, Bird KE, McMillen TS, LeBoeuf RC, Hagen TM, Frei B. Dietary alpha-lipoic acid supplementation inhibits atherosclerotic lesion development in apolipoprotein E-deficient and apolipoprotein E/low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.