Metabolic and clinical effect of alpha-lipoic acid administration in schizophrenic subjects stabilized with atypical antipsychotics: A 12-week, open-label, uncontrolled study

Fiammetta Iannuzzo; Gianpaolo Antonio Basile; Domenica Campolo; Giovanni Genovese; Gianluca Pandolfo; Loretta Giunta; Domenica Ruggeri; Antonino Di Benedetto; Antonio Bruno

doi:10.1016/j.crphar.2022.100116

Metabolic and clinical effect of alpha-lipoic acid administration in schizophrenic subjects stabilized with atypical antipsychotics: A 12-week, open-label, uncontrolled study

Curr Res Pharmacol Drug Discov. 2022 Jun 28:3:100116. doi: 10.1016/j.crphar.2022.100116. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, Contesse, Messina, 98125, Italy.
² Psychiatry Unit, Polyclinic Hospital University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, Contesse, 98125, Messina, Italy.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, Polyclinic Hospital University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1, Contesse, 98125, Messina, Italy.

Abstract

Background: Many of the atypical antipsychotics induce metabolic side effects, limiting their use in clinical practice. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) was proposed as a new approach in schizophrenia to improve metabolic effects of atypical antipsychotics. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of ALA on metabolic and clinical parameters among schizophrenic subjects.

Methods: 15 schizophrenic subjects, in stable atypical antipsychotic monotherapy were included in the study. ALA was administrated at the oral daily dose of 600 mg/d in addition to antipsychotic therapy. Metabolic, clinical, and psychopathological parameters were measured at typical antipsychotics. e initial screening, and after 12 weeks.

Results: ALA produced a statistically significant reduction in QTc (p = 0.012), blood glucose (p = 0.005), AST (p = 0.021), γGT (p = 0.035), CPK (p = 0.005) and prolactinaemia (p = 0.026). In contrast, there was a significant increase in HbA1c (p = 0.026). No effects on body weight and blood lipid levels (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL) emerged.

Conclusions: ALA treatment appeared to be effective for reducing diabetes risk, liver functionality parameters, hyperprolactinaemia and QTC interval. ALA appears to be safe as adjunctive components in schizophrenia.

Keywords: Alpha lipoic acid; Metabolic syndrome; Schizophrenia; Second-generation antipsychotics.