Polydox

In the U.S.

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For Patients & Caregivers

Tell your healthcare providers about any dietary supplements you’re taking, such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, and natural or home remedies. This will help them manage your care and keep you safe.

What is it?

Polydox (PolyMVA) has not been shown to treat or prevent any medical condition.

Polydox is a product that contains lipoic acid, acetylcysteine, palladium, B vitamins, and other ingredients. The inventor and promoters of Polydox make many claims for this product that are not supported by any scientific evidence. Some of the components of Polydox are antioxidants (alpha-lipoic acid and acetylcysteine).

What are the potential uses and benefits?

There is no scientific evidence to support the following claims:

To treat asthma
To treat cancer
To treat chronic fatigue
To treat HIV, AIDS
To treat psoriasis
To treat lupus

For Healthcare Professionals

Brand Name

PolyMVA, POLYDOX

Clinical Summary

Polydox is a synthetic product containing lipoic acid-palladium complex (LAPd) and B complex vitamins. Some have attempted to use it to treat cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic fatigue, psoriasis, and other degenerative disorders. Although animal studies suggest neuroprotective ⁽³⁾, radioproctective ⁽⁴⁾, antidiabetic ⁽⁷⁾, and antioxidant ⁽⁵⁾ ⁽⁶⁾ properties, Polydox has not been evaluated in clinical trials.

Purported Uses and Benefits

Asthma
Cancer
Chronic fatigue
HIV, AIDS
Psoriasis
Lupus

Mechanism of Action

The inventor of Polydox claims that it is a metalo-vitamin with antioxidant activity capable of repairing damaged genes. Polydox is said to have DNA reductase and electroactive properties that alter electron flow in cancer cells at the mitochondrial level, resulting in cytotoxicity.

The manufacturer reports benefits for cancer patients such as increases in energy and appetite, and reduction in cancer-related pain ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾. However, no independent scientific data support these claims.

Studies in rats show palladium-alpha-lipoic acid complex protects against aging of myocardium by enhancing the Krebs cycle dehydrogenases and mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes ⁽⁵⁾. It may increase glutathione levels and reduce lipid peroxidation ⁽⁶⁾ ⁽⁷⁾. Animal studies also suggest it may protect against radiation-induced cellular damage ⁽⁴⁾.

Herb-Drug Interactions

Polydox’s antioxidant activity may interfere with the actions of certain chemotherapeutic agents.

References

Polymva. American Medicine and Research Center web site. Available at http://www.polymva.com. Accessed February 19, 2021.
Garnett M. Palladium complexes and methods for using same in the treatment of tumors. Garnett McKeen Laboratory, Inc. US Patent #5,679,697. October 21, 1997.
Antonawich FJ, Fiore SM, Welicky LM. Regulation of ischemic cell death by the lipoic acid-palladium complex, Poly MVA, in gerbils. Exp Neurol.2004 Sep;189(1):10-5.
Ramachandran L, Krishnan CV, Nair CK. Radioprotection by alpha-lipoic acid palladium complex formulation (POLY-MVA) in mice. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. 2010 Aug;25(4):395-9.
Sudheesh NP, Ajith TA, Janardhanan KK, Krishnan CV. Palladium alpha-lipoic acid complex formulation enhances activities of Krebs cycle dehydrogenases and respiratory complexes I-IV in the heart of aged rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2009;47(8):2124-8.
Sudheesh NP, Ajith TA, Janardhanan KK, Krishnan CV. Effect of POLY-MVA, a palladium alpha-lipoic acid complex formulation against declined mitochondrial antioxidant status in the myocardium of aged rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010;48(7):1858-62.
Sudheesh NP, Ajith TA, Janardhanan KK, et al. Palladium-α-lipoic acid complex attenuates alloxan-induced hyperglycemia and enhances the declined blood antioxidant status in diabetic rats. J Diabetes. 2011 Dec;3(4):293-300.

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Last Updated

Friday, February 19, 2021

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