Effect of DL-α-lipoic acid on the status of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in mitochondria of aged rats

The life span of a species is thought to be determined by the rate of mitochondrial damage which in turn is inflicted by free radicals in the mitochondria during the course of normal metabolism. The level of lipid peroxidation and antioxidants were measured in liver and kidney mitochondria of young and aged rats before and after DL-a-lipoic acid supplementation. In both liver and kidney, mitochondrial lipid peroxidation increased with age and a decrease in the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants were observed. DL-alpha -lipoic acid treated aged rats showed a decrease in the level of lipid peroxides and an increase in the antioxidant status. Our results conclude that supplementation of lipoic acid restores the depleted mitochondrial antioxidant status and suggest that it could be an effective therapeutic agent in treatment of age-associated disorders where free radicals are the major causative factor. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.