A newly recognized, natural, co-vitamin and anti-oxidant
nutrient. Alpha Lipoic acid has been called an "ideal
antioxidant" by prominent scientists, and it has multiple applications
which include:
1) an adjunct to medical therapy,
2) lowering risk factors in preventive medicine,
3) life-extension and general health,
4) sports and physical training; and as
5) de novo topical anti-oxidant
In its simplest terms, the chemistry of life is about
metabolism, which is the general term that encompasses all of the processes of chemical
changes in biological systems. Metabolism is divided into two phases:
1) catabolism, which is the process in which chemicals are broken down; and
2) anabolism, which is the process in which chemicals are constructed.
Catabolism occurs in the breaking down of food into the chemical, building blocks that are
required for biological maintenance and growth. Catabolism also occurs in the destruction
of toxic substances, which do not belong in the system, and in the elimination of damaged
or surplus components. Most of the generation of free radicals occurs in the processes of
catabolism and, more specifically, within those metabolic reactions which involve oxygen.
Anabolism is the process of biological construction or
reconstruction; and it is believed that free radical reactions are much less a factor in
this phase. However, it appears that this aspect is not well studied; and there may be
disorders of anabolism which do, iindeed, involve free radicals reactions.
The genetic template for all life on this planet is the self-replicating molecule called
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). The in-numerable life-forms on this planet and which have
evolved over about 4 billions years are variations on that particular molecule. Green
plants are the foundation for almost all life on the planet because they are the only
life-form which can bring into the biomass new energy in the form of absorbing photons
from sunlight. Thus, virtually all currently existing life-forms derive their energy
either directly from sunlight, as the green plants do, or indirectly from sunlight by
consuming plants or other animals which feed on plants.
Green plants capture the energy of the sun in a chemical
process called photosynthesis in which 6 carbon dioxide molecules react with 12 molecules
of water, with that complex being energized by photons from sunlight, creating 1 glucose
molecule and releasing 6 oxygen and 6 water molecules.
The formula for this PHOTO SYNTHETIC reaction is the following:
CARBON DIOXIDE + WATER + SUNLIGHT = GLUCOSE + OXYGEN + WATER 6CO2 + 12H20 + photons = C6H1206 + 602 + 6H20
In plants, multiple glucose molecules link together to form starch, which, for us, is the carbohydrate that constitutes our most important source of energy. In a similar pathway, one which includes nitrogen (NO3) and sulfur (SO4), plants synthesize their proteins and lipids (i.e., fats) and other organic compounds. The photosynthetic process takes place in a molecule called chlorophyll which is green in color and which resides in an organelle called the chloroplast.
In animal biology,our hemoglobin molecule, which captures oxygen, is analogous to chlorophyll and our mitochondria, which is the site of oxygen utilization, is analogous to the chloroplast.
As it happens, Alpha lipoic acid is an integral component in both the photosynthetic process in the chloroplasts of plant cells (Calvin M, 1956) and in the oxidative process in the mitochondria of animal cells (Skrede S, 1968) (Totskii VN, 1976). In other words, Alpha lipoic acid is a functional element at the critical junctures of energy exchange in all life-forms, plant or animal.
This is the concept basis for Campo Natural Active
ingredients' study & development. Naturally, as a Natural Product Chemistry Novel Drug
Discovery organization, Campo chooses to isolate the most potent source of topically
viable Alpha Lipoic Acid from the Neem tree's ("Village Pharmacy")Leaves
components, as the desirable properties of Neem are active as side-chains in Alpha Lipoic
Acid molecule.
Campo Alpha Lipoic Acid is derived from Neem Leaves (Azadrichta indica), by in-vacuum
fractionation of the amphillic components of the photosynthethic processes of the Neem
leaves.