Na-RLA for Cosmetic Applications

Na-RLA is the sodium salt of R-alpha Lipoic Acid

Specifications

Sodium-R-Lipoate (Na-RLA) is provided as a solid light yellow to off-white powder or as an aqueous solution for cosmetic formulations and is prepared from pharmaceutical grade R-Lipoic acid (>99.5%).

Biological Activity

Na-RLA may protect against and reverses oxidative damage from environmental assaults, (sun burn, pollutants) aging and pathological conditions.
Na-RLA recycles, increases and protects dermal antioxidants; including Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione.

Topical application of Na-RLA, due to its rapid absorption kinetics, is useful in protection against skin cell damage from solar radiation; involving the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) after the main exposure and subsequent depletion of the major antioxidants of the skin.

Skin supplemented with ALA and exposed to UV radiation showed an increase in dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), the more potent antioxidant form. DHLA increases the regeneration of other antioxidants that are rapidly destroyed by UV radiation. (Biochem Mol Biol Int 1996; 38:51-59)

Anti-Aging Actions Of Lipoic Acids

Lipoic Acid is taken up and reduced by human keratinocytes into dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) both by topical application and from the diet.
Lipoic Acid functions in at least four ways to help slow and reverse skin aging.
Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant and regulates cellular redox status.
Lipoic Acid helps maintain the health of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. When the mitochondria are metabolically compromised, skin cells lose their ability to maintain their youthful repair functions.
Lipoic Acid turns off an inflammatory messenger known as nuclear factor kappa B that can severely damage skin by activation of pro-inflammatory gene products.
Lipoic Acid has shown a unique mechanism of facilitating the enzymatic disposal of glycation-damaged collagen.

As we age, there is an increased accumulation of glycated collagen causing loss of elasticity that results in visible skin damage.

Advantages Of Na-Rla For Cosmetic Formulations

Na-RLA is a powerful scavenger of destructive free radical molecules in both aqueous and lipid layers of the skin.

Topical application of Na-RLA achieves ~ a one hundred fold increase in concentration (345nmol/g skin) over that achieved by dietary means. The high water solubility of Na-RLA makes it easily formulated into light serums rather than heavy lotions or creams.

Beneficial Actions On The Skin

Topical application of Na-RLA produces a wide range of beneficial effects on skin cells:

Protects against UV radiation
Reduces Skin Inflammation
Reverses Oxidative Protein Damage
Reduces Lipid peroxidation
Improves ATP Production in the Epidermis and Dermis
Chelates Toxic Heavy Metals
Increases Glutathione skin content, dose-dependently
Completely protects and regenerates CoQ10, Vitamins C & E from UVA and UVB exposure and destruction

References for Topical Lipoic Acid

Alpha-Lipoic acid-based PPARgamma agonists for treating inflammatory skin diseases. Venkatraman MS, Chittiboyina A, Meingassner J, et al. Arch Dermatol Res. 2004 Aug;296(3):97-104.

Photoprotection by antioxidants against UVB-radiation-induced damage in pig skin organ culture; Rijnkels JM, Moison RM, et al. Radiat Res. 2003 Feb;159(2):210-7.

Randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind study on the clinical efficacy of a cream containing 5% alpha-lipoic acid related to photoageing of facial skin. Beitner H. Br J Dermatol. 2003 Oct;149(4):841-9.

Low molecular weight antioxidants and their role in skin ageing; Podda M, Grundmann-Kollmann M. Clin Exp Dermatol. 2001 Oct;26(7):578-82.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) protects proteins against the hydroxyl free radical-induced alterations: rationale for its geriatric topical application. Perricone N, Nagy K, Horvath F, et al. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 1999 Jul-Aug;29(1):45-56.

Lipoic Acid In Topical Compositions; US Patent 5,709,868 Jan 20, 1998 Nicholas Perricone, MD.

Topical Alpha Lipoic Acid for Anti-Aging, Ed. Nicholas Perricone, MD. Skin & Aging May 1998 p.17-19

Alpha Lipoate: Antioxidant properties and effects on Skin. Chapter 10 in Lipoic Acid in Health and Disease; Podda, M., Traber MG, Packer L, ed. Fuchs J, Packer L, Zimmer G Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1997 pp163-180.

Kinetic study of cutaneous and subcutaneous distribution following topical application of [7,8-14C]rac-alpha-lipoic acid onto hairless mice; Podda M, Rallis M, et al. Biochem Pharmacol. 1996 Aug 23;52(4):627-33.

Antioxidant Inhibition of skin inflammation induced by reactive oxidants: evaluation of the redox couple dihydrolipoate/lipoate. Fuchs J, Milbradt R. Skin Pharmacology 1994; 7(5):278-84.

Method of treating Inflammatory Diseases with Pharmaceutical Composition Containing Dihydrolipoic Acid as active substance; U.S. Patent 5,084,481 Jan 28, 1992, Ulrich H, Weischer C-H, Engel J, Hettche, H.