Does alpha-lipoic acid therapeutically effective against experimentally induced-acute pulpitis in rats?

The purpose of the study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on an induced-acute pulpitis model in rats. Twenty-four Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, induced-acute pulpitis (PULP) and PULP + ALA groups. In the PULP and PULP + ALA groups, the crowns of the maxillary left incisors were removed horizontally. All exposed pulp tissues were treated with 5 microL LPS solution. In the PULP + ALA group, the rats were treated intraperitoneally with a single dose of ALA (100 mg/kg). The rats were sacrificed 24 h after pulp injury, and the trunk blood and pulp samples were collected and then determined using ELISA assay kits. TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, MMP-1 and MMP-2 levels in the serum and pulp tissues were considerably higher in the PULP group than the control group (p < 0.01-0.001). In the PULP + ALA group, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, MMP-1 and MMP-2 levels in the serum and pulp tissues decreased significantly compared to the PULP group (p < 0.05-0.001). ALA decreases pro-inflammatory mediators and proteolytic enzymes, which might relieve acute inflammation.