Alpha-lipoic acid treatment of 31 patients with sore, burning mouth

To review a series of patients with sore, burning mouth treated with alpha-lipoic acid between 2000 and May 2006 and subjectively evaluate improvement in symptoms.

Retrospective review of medical records of 195 consecutive patients who sought treatment for sore, burning mouth. Treatment of 47 patients was a prescription/recommendation for alpha-lipoic acid. Of these patients, 35 were available for follow-up.

Tertiary care academic medical center.

Ambulatory patients given prescription /recommendation for alpha-lipoic acid 600 mg per day, in divided doses.

Reported improvement in symptoms documented in medical records and at follow-up (visits or telephone interviews).

Thirty-one of the 35 patients (66% of all 47) actually took alpha-lipoic acid as recommended. No patient reported a complete alleviation of symptoms. Six (19%) of these 31 patients felt mostly better, five (16%) felt somewhat better, and 14 (45%) reported no difference. Two patients (7%) reported a worsening of symptoms and four (13%) did not know whether there had been improvement.

Eleven of 31 patients (35%) reported benefit from taking alpha-lipoic acid. Because we examined only a small number of patients and relied on a subjective outcome assessment, further larger studies using a prospective, randomized, controlled, and double-blind structure are warranted.