Advances in the therapeutic applications of dichloroacetate as a metabolic regulator: A review.

Dichloroacetate (DCA), as a pan-inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function. DCA decreases lactic acid synthesis, enhances mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and regulates aerobic glycolysis. During the last decade, more and more studies have found that disorders of energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction play a pivotal role in the development and progression of various diseases, and the role of DCA in cancer, metabolic diseases, and inflammatory diseases has been extensively explored in both basic and clinical studies. In this review, we summarize advances in the therapeutic applications of DCA as a metabolic regulator.