Abstract
Alpha-lipoic acid, a physiological form of thioctic acid, is a strong antioxidant that relieves diabetic neuropathic symptoms. R(+)-α-lipoic acid shows superior antioxidative effects to its racemate. We compared the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and tolerability of R(+)- and S(-)-α-lipoic acid after a single oral dose of R(+)-α-lipoic acid, Dexid®, and its racemate, thioctic acid in healthy male subjects. We used an open-label, randomized, single-dose, three-treatment, parallel study design to compare the PK exposure of the active form, R(+)-α-lipoic acid. Thirty subjects completed the study with no clinically relevant safety issues. The peak concentrations (Cmax, mean±SD) of R(+)-α-lipoic acid after doses of R(+)-α-lipoic acid 200 mg, 300 mg and thioctic acid 600 mg were 4186.8±1956.7, 6985.6±3775.8 and 6498.4±3575.6 μg/L, respectively, and the areas under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to the last measurable concentration (AUClast) were 1893.6±759.4, 3575.2±1149.2 and 3790.0±1623.0 μg·h-1·L-1, respectively. The geometric mean ratio and 90% confidence intervals of R(+)-α-lipoic acid 200 mg to thioctic acid 600 mg for the Cmax and AUClast were 0.71 (0.43–1.15) and 0.51 (0.37–0.70), respectively. The corresponding R(+)-α-lipoic acid 300 mg to thioctic acid 600 mg values were 1.11 (0.68-1.80) and 0.97 (0.71-1.34), respectively. In conclusion, R(+)-α-lipoic acid 300 mg showed PK characteristics similar to those of thioctic acid 600 mg and both formulations were well tolerated.
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Table 1.
Treatment | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
R(+)-α-lipoic acid 200 mg (Dexid® 320 mg) (N=10) | R(+)-α-lipoic acid 300 mg (Dexid® 480 mg) (N=10) | Thioctic acid 600 mg (N=10) | Total (N=30) | p-value1) | |
Age (years) | 25.3±4.9 | 25.2±5.2 | 23.2±1.8 | 24.6±4.2 | 0.78 |
Height (cm) | 174.6±4.5 | 172.0±6.5 | 174.5±5.6 | 173.7±5.5 | 0.58 |
Weight (kg) | 68.0±6.3 | 64.5±9.3 | 68.8±5.1 | 67.1±7.1 | 0.17 |
Table 2.
Parameters∗ | R(+)-α-lipoic acid 200 mg (Dexid® 320 mg) (N=10) | R(+)-α-lipoic acid 300 mg (Dexid® 480 mg) (N=10) | Thioctic acid 600 mg (N=10) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R(+)-α-lipoic acid | S(-)-α-lipoic acid | R(+)-α-lipoic acid | S(-)-α-lipoic acid | R(+)-α-lipoic acid | S(-)-α-lipoic acid | ||
tmax (h) | Median Range | 0.33 (0.25-0.75) | - | 0.33 (0.25-1.00) | - | 0.33 (0.25-0.75) | 0.33 (0.25-0.75) |
Cmax (µg/L) | Mean±SD | 4186.8±1956.7 | - | 6985.6±3775.8 | - | 6498.4±3575.6 | 3552.6±1942.4 |
Range | (1761.0-8099.0) | - | (1655.0-14170.0) | - | (930.1-12680.0) | (532.8-2908.2) | |
AUClast (µg·h/L) | Mean±SD | 1893.6±759.4 | - | 3575.2±1149.2 | - | 3790.0±1623.0 | 1969.4±1031.5 |
Range | (1031.2-3448.0) | - | (1622.7-5085.3) | - | (1610.4-6807.3) | (812.3-3770.5) | |
AUC0-∞ (µg·h/L) | Mean±SD | 1900.7±758.9 | - | 3585.5±1146.0 | - | 3805.0±1623.7 | 2073.6±951.8 |
Range | (1038.6-3454.0) | - | (1627.8-5091.9) | - | (1621.3-6833.4) | (851.5-3777.9) | |
t1/2 (h) | Mean±SD | 0.7±0.2 | 0.7±0.3 | 0.6±0.2 | 0.9±1.4 | ||
Range | (0.5-1.1) | - | (0.4-1.2) | - | (0.3-0.9) | (0.3-4.8) | |
CL/F (L/h) | Mean±SD | 120.4±44.6 | - | 95.5±42.6 | - | 95.3±46.9 | 175.5±83.3 |
Range | (57.9-192.6) | - | (58.9-184.3) | - | (43.9-185.0) | (79.4-352.3) |
∗ Cmax: the peak plasma concentration, tmax: time to maximum plasma concentration, AUClast: the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve from 0 to the last measurable concentration, AUC0-∞: the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve from 0 extrapolated to infinity, t1/2: terminal half-life, CL/F: apparent clearance.