Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on lipid profile in rats fed a high-fructose diet

This study investigated the effect of administration of alpha-lipoic acid (LA) on lipid metabolism in high fructose-fed insulin-resistant rats. High-fructose feeding (60 g/100 g diet) to normal rats resulted in a significant increase in the concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides (TGs), free fatty acids (FFAs), and phospholipids in plasma, liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle. Reduced activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase (LCAT) and increased activity of the lipogenic enzyme hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase were observed in plasma and liver. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was significantly lowered and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly elevated. Treatment with LA (35 mg/kg body weight intraperitoneal) reduced the effects of fructose. The rats showed near-normal levels of lipid components on plasma and tissues. Activities of key enzymes of lipid metabolism were also restored to normal values. Cholesterol distribution in the plasma lipoproteins was normalized, resulting in a favorable lipid profile. This study demonstrates that LA can alter lipid metabolism in fructose-fed insulin-resistant rats and may have implications in the treatment of insulin resistance.