Still it not used as widely as it should though it has been
know for a long time it has benefits in this context.
-------------------------------------------------------

1: Diabetes Care. 2006 Nov;29(11):2365-70.

Oral treatment with alpha-lipoic acid improves symptomatic diabetic
polyneuropathy: the SYDNEY 2 trial.

Ziegler D, Ametov A, Barinov A, Dyck PJ, Gurieva I, Low PA, Munzel U,
Yakhno N, Raz I, Novosadova M, Maus J, Samigullin R.

FRCPE, Deutsche Diabetes-Klinik, Deutsches Diabetes-Zentrum, Leibniz-
Institut an der Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Auf'm Hennekamp 65, 40225
Düsseldorf, Germany.
dan.ziegler@ddz.uni-duesseldorf.de

OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of alpha-lipoic
acid
(ALA) on positive sensory symptoms and neuropathic deficits in
diabetic patients with distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSP).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS:
In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled
trial, 181 diabetic patients in Russia and Israel received once-daily
oral doses of 600 mg (n = 45) (ALA600), 1,200 mg (n = 47) (ALA1200),
and 1,800 mg (ALA1800) of ALA (n = 46) or placebo (n = 43) for 5 weeks
after a 1-week placebo run-in period. The primary outcome measure was
the change from baseline of the Total Symptom Score (TSS), including
stabbing pain, burning pain, paresthesia, and asleep numbness of the
feet. Secondary end points included individual symptoms of TSS,
Neuropathy Symptoms and Change (NSC) score, Neuropathy Impairment
Score (NIS), and patients'
global assessment of efficacy.

RESULTS:
Mean TSS did not differ significantly at baseline among the treatment
groups and on average decreased by 4.9 points (51%) in ALA600, 4.5
(48%) in ALA1200, and 4.7 (52%) in ALA1800 compared with 2.9
points (32%) in the placebo group (all P < 0.05 vs. placebo). The
corresponding response rates (>/=50% reduction in TSS) were 62, 50,
56, and 26%, respectively. Significant improvements favoring all three
ALA groups were also noted for stabbing and burning pain, the NSC
score, and the patients' global assessment of efficacy. The NIS was
numerically reduced. Safety analysis showed a dose-dependent increase
in nausea, vomiting, and vertigo.

CONCLUSIONS:
Oral treatment with ALA for 5 weeks improved neuropathic symptoms and
deficits in patients with DSP. An oral dose of 600 mg once daily
appears to provide the optimum risk-to-benefit ratio.

PMID: 17065669 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Related Links

   Treatment of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the
antioxidant
alpha-lipoic acid: a 7-month multicenter randomized controlled trial
(ALADIN III Study). ALADIN III Study Group. Alpha-Lipoic Acid in
Diabetic Neuropathy.
[Diabetes Care. 1999]
PMID:10480774

   The sensory symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy are improved with
alpha-lipoic acid: the SYDNEY trial. [Diabetes Care. 2003]
PMID:12610036

   Treatment of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the
antioxidant
alpha-lipoic acid: a meta-analysis. [Diabet Med. 2004]
PMID:14984445

   Clinical experience with thioctacid (thioctic acid) in the
treatment of distal
symmetric polyneuropathy in Korean diabetic patients. [J Diabetes
Complications.
2004] PMID:15120701

   Treatment of symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the
anti-oxidant alpha-lipoic acid. A 3-week multicentre randomized
controlled trial (ALADIN Study). [Diabetologia. 1995]
PMID:8786016