Dichloroacetate

From MEpedia, a crowd-sourced encyclopedia of ME and CFS science and history

Dichloroacetic acid or DCA is an analogue of acetic acid.[1] Salts of DCA may be used as drugs because they inhibit pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.[1] Dichloroacetic acid is has many alternative names including bichloroacetic acid, dichloroethanoic acid, Urner's liquid, potassium dichloroacetate, sodium dichloroacetate,DB08809, dichlorphos and 2,2-dichloroacetic acid.[1] Dichloroacetic acid is a colorless liquid which is corrosive to metals and tissue.[1]

Molecular formulas[edit | edit source]

  • C
    2
    H
    2
    Cl
    2
    O
    2
  • CHCl
    2
    COOH

Uses[edit | edit source]

In 1989, Canada approved DCA for applying to the skin for treating warts and for "cauterization and removal of a wide variety of skin and tissue lesions", though this was cancelled post-market.[2] DCA has also been experimentally used by patients with brain cancer, but the effectiveness is unknown.[1]

Theory[edit | edit source]

ME/CFS[edit | edit source]

Evidence[edit | edit source]

Notable studies and publications[edit | edit source]

  • 2018, Treating patients suffering from myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) with sodium dichloroacetate: An open-label, proof-of-principle pilot trial[3] - (Full text)
  • 2018, Why do some ME/CFS patients benefit from treatment with sodium dichloroacetate, but others do not?[4] - (Full text)

Clinicians[edit | edit source]

Risks and safety[edit | edit source]

Costs and availability[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 PubChem. "Dichloroacetic acid". pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB08809
  3. Comhaire, F (May 2018). "Treating Patients Suffering From Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) With Sodium Dichloroacetate: An Open-Label, Proof-Of-Principle Pilot Trial". Medical hypotheses. PMID 29602463. Retrieved May 21, 2020. Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. Comhaire, Frank (November 1, 2018). "Why do some ME/CFS patients benefit from treatment with sodium dichloroacetate, but others do not?". Medical Hypotheses. 120: 65–67. doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2018.08.014. ISSN 0306-9877.