A diabetes epidemic is underway. An estimated 30 million people world-wide had diabetes in 1985. A decade later, the global burden of diabetes was estimated to be 135 million.

Facts from WHO show that:

	At least 177 people worldwide suffer from diabetes, this figure is likely to be more than double in 2030
	Around 4 millions deaths every year are attributable to complication of diabetes such as CVD, diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and kidney failure.
	Indonesia is rank no 4 of TOP TEN countries in number of sufferers.
	Overall, direct health care costs of diabetes range from 2,5 % to 15 % of annual health care budgets, depending on local diabetes prevalence and the sophistication of the treatment available.
	The costs of lost production may be as much as five times the direct health care cost.

Diabetic neuropathy is probably the most common complication. Studies suggest that up to 50% of people of diabetes are affected to some degree. Diabetic neuropathy can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The pathology of diabetic neuropathy involves oxidative stress, advanced glycation end products, polyol pathway flux, and protein kinase C activation; all contribute to microvascular disease and nerve dysfunction. Neuropathy can lead to sensory loss damage to the limbs. It also a major cause of impotence in diabetic men.

There is now general agreement that near-normoglycaemia can prevent chronic diabetic complications, including polyneuropaty, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients. However, since near-normal glycaemic control is achievable in only a limited number of patients, alternative therapeutic approaches are desirable to treat diabetic polyneuropathy such as MECOLA^® forte. MECOLA^® forte contains Alpha Lipoic Acid and cyanocobalamin which works synergistically nurturing the diabetes patients.

Alpha-lipoic acid: also known as thioctic acid, is a disulfide compound that is a cofactor in vital energy-producing reactions in the body. Alpha lipoic appears to function in two ways in the body. One is metabolic function, the other is antioxidant function.

Metabolic function: Alpha lipoic serves as a co-factor for a number vital enzymes responsible for the conversion of glucose, fatty acids and other energy sources into chemical energy (ATP). On glucose metabolism, alpha lipoic enhancing glucose uptake in muscle cells and preventing glucose-induced protein modification. Some studies have revealed favorable effect including increase glucose uptake, promotion of neurite growth and chelation of transition metals thought to play a role in diabetic neuropathy.

Antioxidant function: It is also a potent antioxidant in the body. It soluble in both water and fat. Thus alpha lipoic acid works both inside the cell and at the membrane level. Numerous studies have produced promising results with lipoic acid in neuropathy. Lipoic acid has demonstrated antioxidant properties that help reduce or eliminate a sequence of events that include reduced endoneural blood flow and oxygen tension, which are pre-requisites of neuropathy.
Alpha lipoic acid is readily reduced in cells and tissues. Once inside the cells, alpha-lipoic acid is broken down to dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA). Most importantly, both lipoic acid and its metabolite are potential in performing antioxidant functions, which can destroy almost all of free radicals such as superoxide radicals, hydroperoxy radicals, and hydroxyl radicals.
Alpha-lipoic acid helps other antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and glutahione in two significant ways. First, through the enhancement of the antioxidant network resulting from increased activity among the antioxidant within the cell. And second through the regeneration of other antioxidants by bringing them back to their reduced antioxidant-potent form.