Editing Lipoic acid (section)

===Pharmacokinetics===
A 2007 human [[pharmacokinetic]] study of sodium RLA demonstrated the maximum concentration in plasma and bioavailability are significantly greater than the free acid form, and rivals plasma levels achieved by intravenous administration of the free acid form.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite journal |last1= Carlson |first1= DA |last2= Smith |first2= AR |last3= Fischer |first3= SJ |last4= Young |first4= KL |last5= Packer |first5= L |display-authors= 4 |title= The plasma pharmacokinetics of R-(+)-lipoic acid administered as sodium R-(+)-lipoate to healthy human subjects |journal= Alternative Medicine Review |volume= 12 |issue= 4 |date= December 2007 |pages= 343–51 |pmid= 18069903 |url= http://www.altmedrev.com/publications/12/4/343.pdf |access-date= 2014-07-06 |archive-date= 2017-08-08 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170808231646/http://altmedrev.com/publications/12/4/343.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref> Additionally, high plasma levels comparable to those in animal models where Nrf2 was activated were achieved.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

The various forms of LA are not bioequivalent.<ref name="Kleeman">{{cite conference |last1= Kleeman |first1= A |last2= Borbe |first2= HO |last3= Ulrich |first3= H |chapter= Thioctic Acid-Lipoic Acid |title= Thioctsäure: Neue Biochemische, Pharmakologische und Klinische Erkenntnisse zur Thioctsäure |trans-title= Thioctic Acid. New Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Findings from Clinical Practice with Thioctic Acid |pages= 11–26 |editor1-last= Borbe |editor1-first= HO |editor2-last= Ulrich |editor2-first= H |conference= Symposium at Wiesbaden, DE, 16–18 February 1989 |date= 1991 |location= Frankfurt, DE |publisher= Verlag |isbn= 9783891191255}}</ref> Very few studies compare individual enantiomers with racemic lipoic acid. It is unclear if twice as much racemic lipoic acid can replace RLA.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>

The toxic dose of LA in cats is much lower than that in humans or dogs and produces hepatocellular toxicity.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Hill |first1= AS |last2= Werner |first2=JA |last3= Rogers |first3= QR |last4= O'Neill |first4= SL |last5= Christopher |first5= MM |display-authors= 4 |title= Lipoic acid is 10 times more toxic in cats than reported in humans, dogs or rats |journal= Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition |volume= 88 |issue= 3–4 |date= April 2004 |pages= 150–6 |pmid= 15059240 |doi= 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2003.00472.x}}</ref>