Advances in the therapeutic applications of dichloroacetate as a metabolic regulator: A review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing mechanism-based reasoning and literature without systematic methodology or primary data
PubMed 40922281 · doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000044295
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review summarizing basic and clinical literature on the therapeutic applications and mechanisms of dichloroacetate (DCA) as a metabolic regulator.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings or effect sizes. It describes DCA as a pan-inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase that decreases lactic acid synthesis, enhances mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and modulates aerobic glycolysis in cancer, metabolic disorders, and inflammatory conditions.
Why it matters
This review outlines the conceptual basis for repurposing dichloroacetate to target mitochondrial dysfunction and altered glucose metabolism in multiple systemic diseases.
Limits
As a non-systematic narrative review, the paper provides no quantitative pooling, risk of bias assessment, or primary experimental data. The abstract does not report specific clinical trial outcomes, patient numbers, dosing regimens, or safety and toxicity considerations.
Cited by
- supports Dichloroacetate (DCA) activates pyruvate dehydrogenase.