Original paper
The efficacy of α-lipoic acid (Neurolipon-MIP 600) in the management of peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetic patients

Introduction: The chronic sensoric-motoric polineuropathy is the most frequent type of diabetes-related neuropaties. Most patients with neuropathy complains of the severe pain and paresthesias. The progressive neuropathy can be also the reason of many severe complications. Majority of drugs used as neuropathy management are symptomatic only with low efficacy and non-satisfactory tolerance. α-Lipoic acid is one of the few well tolerated substances which affect patogenetic mechanisms of neuropathy.

Aim: The goal of our study was to elucidate if α-lipoic acid used in small doses is effective in the management of type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral neuropathy independent on their current metabolic status.

Material and methods: Thirty patients with diabetes type 2 and symptoms of chronic sensoric-motoric polineuropathy were examined. All patients were put on α-lipoic acid in total daily dose 600 mg within the subsequent 90 days. The neurological examination was carried out and metabolic control parameters were measured before and after the study.

Results: It was found that α-lipoic acid induced withdrawal or decrease in neuropathy symptoms like pain and/or paresthesias and, what is especially significant, these effects were not dependent on the metabolic compensation. α-Lipoic acid reduced also neurologic deficits revealed before the study like sense of pain, pressure and temperature but these effects were weakened by the current metabolic deteriorations and therefore less evident.

Conclusions: It could be stated as summary however, that management with oral α-lipoic acid in the dose 600 mg using Neurolipon-MIP 600 allows to achieve the clinical improvement in neurologic symptoms in patients with diabetes type 2 and chronic sensoric-motoric polineuropathy.