dichloroacetate: a bright hope for lactic acidosis
TRANSCRIPT
DICHLDROACETATE: A BRIGHT HOPE FOR LACTIC ACIDOSIS
. .. But its Combined Use with the Biguanides Should be Viewed with Caution. at this Stage Dichloroacetate lowers seru m glucose levels in diabetics together with seru m lactate and alanine levels, while biguanides increase lactate and a lanine levels. Dichloroacetate may therefore be of ~alue in correcting biguanide induced lactic acidosis, which can have a 50 % mortality rate and which at present has only a few very lim ited treatments avai lable (see Inpharma No J /9: /1 (f4 jail 1975)and No 118: 14 (JS Mar 1978)}. However. dichloroacetate also reduces serum cholesterol and triglycerides. As this appea~ to operate through oxidation to ketone bodies, its use in conjunction with biguanides which a lso raise ketone body levels ,
must be considered with caution.
' Fo r the time being, t reatment w ith a combination of biguanides and dic hlo roBcetat e must be cons ide red of doubtful value .. . nevertheless t he exciting combination of hypogl ycaemic, hypolactatae mic a nd hypolipidaemic effects in one com pound m e ri t further e val uation.'
Ed itorial : British MtcliI:a1 Journal 2: 456(\ 2 AUI 1978)
INPHARMA 26th August, 1978 p3