Effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation on diabetes induced memory deficits in rats

Abstract

The main objective of current work was to determine the effects of low and high dose supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on spatial learning and memory in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Male Wistar rats (weighing 220 ± 10) were randomly divided into six groups: (i) Control (Con, n = 8); (ii) Control+ Low dose of CoQ10 (100mg/kg) (CLD, n = 10); (iii) Control+ high dose of CoQ10 (600mg/kg) (CHD, n = 10); (iv) Diabetic (D, n = 10); (v) Diabetic + Low dose of CoQ10 (100mg/kg) (DLD, n = 10); (vi) Diabetic + high dose of CoQ10 (600mg/kg) (DHD, n = 10). Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 50mg/kg STZ. CoQ10 was administered intragastrically by gavage once a day for 90days. After 90days, Morris water maze (MWM) task was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory in rats. Diabetic animals showed a slower rate of acquisition with respect to the control animals [F (1, 51) = 92.81, P < 0.0001, two-way ANOVA]. High dose (but no low dose) supplementation with CoQ10 could attenuate deteriorative effect of diabetes on memory acquisition. Diabetic animals which received CoQ10 (600mg/kg) show a considerable decrease in escape latency and traveled distance compared to diabetic animals (p < 0.05, two-way ANOVA,). The present study has shown that low dose supplementation with CoQ10 in diabetic rats failed to improve deficits in cognitive function but high dose supplementation with CoQ10 reversed diabetes-related declines in spatial learning.