Alpha-Lipoic Acid as an Antioxidant Strategy for Managing Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain (NP) is the most prevalent and debilitating form of chronic pain, caused by injuries or diseases of the somatosensory system. Since current first-line treatments only provide poor symptomatic relief, the search for new therapeutic strategies for managing NP is an active field of investigation. Multiple mechanisms contribute to the genesis and maintenance of NP, including damage caused by oxidative stress. The naturally occurring antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is a promising therapeutic agent for the management of NP. Several pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo studies as well as clinical trials demonstrate the analgesic potential of ALA in the management of NP. The beneficial biological activities of ALA are reflected in the various patents for the development of ALA-based innovative products. This review demonstrates the therapeutic potential of ALA in the management of NP by discussing its analgesic effects by multiple antioxidant mechanisms as well as the use of patented ALA-based products and how technological approaches have been applied to enhance ALA’s pharmacological properties

Inhaled braylin regulates Th2 response and induces relaxant effects in the airway muscles in a model of ovalbumin-induced asthma

Background: Coumarins are compounds with wide and relevant pharmacological properties, being considered one of the most important chemical classes among natural compounds. Braylin (6-methoxyseselin) is a coumarin whose pharmacological properties have not yet been extensively explored. Previous studies have shown its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities, potentially associated with glucocorticoid receptors, plus it is a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the pharmacological potential of braylin for asthma treatment. Methods: Mice induced to an asthma model using ovalbumin (OVA) were treated with vehicle, braylin, or dexamethasone via intraperitoneal injection or inhalation, and the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was collected to evaluate infiltration of inflammatory cells, and cytokine levels. Histopathological and morphometric analysis of lung tissue were also conducted, while ex vivo isometric measurement assessed the effect of braylin on tracheal relaxation. Results: Braylin (50 mg/kg) showed similar efficacy in reducing the total count of inflammatory cells in the BAL of asthmatic mice by inhalation or intraperitoneal route. Inhaled braylin reduced, in a dose-dependent manner (25 to 100 mg/kg), the total count of inflammatory cells in the BAL of OVA-induced mice, more specifically eosinophils and neutrophils. Plus, inhaled braylin reduced the BAL levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, cytokines involved in asthma Th2 response. It also reduced pulmonary inflammatory infiltrate and the occurrence of goblet cell metaplasia. In a set of ex vivo assays, braylin was able to induce concentration-dependent relaxation of the trachea from mice with or without OVA-induced asthma. Conclusions: The present results suggest that braylin may be a promising candidate for the treatment of asthma by regulating the Th2 response, inducing relaxant effects in the airway muscles, and presenting efficacy by inhalation route