DL-Thioctic acid is an important coenzyme that is derived from octanoic acid. Its antioxidant properties are crucial for the proper functioning of enzyme complexes like pyruvate dehydrogenase and glycine decarboxylase. Furthermore, DL-Thioctic acid plays a fundamental role in aerobic metabolism and acts as a potent free radical scavenger.
This compound has a wide range of applications, such as increasing insulin sensitivity and stimulating glucose uptake in adipose and muscle cells in vitro. DL-Thioctic acid can also help repair oxidative damage by boosting the endogenous antioxidants like vitamins C, vitamin E, and glutathione. It can induce apoptosis through caspase-independent and caspase-dependent pathways, which is mediated by intracellular Ca2+. By increasing glutathione synthesis and by modulating transcription factor activity, mainly nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), DL-Thioctic acid has the ability to impact various cellular biological pathways.
Lastly, it has been observed that DL-Thioctic acid can decrease the phagocytosis of myelin by macrophages. Overall, DL-Thioctic acid is a valuable compound with diverse biological functions and a potential therapeutic agent for treating various diseases.
