spectively).1,2 The membranes of the brain and nervous
tissue are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, and their
antioxidant status is in some ways lower than in other
tissues. Disorders that may be related to free radical
damage include ischemia-reperfusion, neurodegenerative
diseases, diabetic neuropathy, and inborn errors of
metabolism. Very few neuropharmacological intervention
strategies are currently available for the treatment
of stroke and numerous other brain disorders involving
free radical injury. In this article we will relate the various
metabolic antioxidant properties of a-lipoate to its
possible therapeutic role in a variety of brain and neuronal
tissue pathologies. Thiols are central to antioxidant
defense in brain and other tissues. The most important
thiol antioxidant, glutathione, cannot be
directly administered, whereas a-lipoic acid can. In vi