Evaluation of anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of coenzyme Q10 in experimental animals

Abstract

Abstract Objectives This work aimed to assess some pharmacological activities of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in animal experimental models. Methods The chick chorioallantoic membrane assay was used to evaluate anti-angiogenic activity of CoQ10. Anti-inflammatory activity of CoQ10 was confirmed using two animal models of inflammation. These were the vascular permeability and air pouch models, models of acute and sub-acute inflammation, respectively. Antinociceptive activity was assessed by the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction response. Key findings CoQ10 dose-dependently displayed inhibition of chick chorioallantoic membrane angiogenesis. In the acetic acid-induced vascular permeability model in mice, CoQ10 at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg reduced vascular permeability from 0.74 ± 0.01 (A590) to 0.67 ± 0.01 (P < 0.01), 0.46 ± 0.02 (P < 0.01) and 0.30 ± 0.01 (P < 0.01), respectively. In the carrageenan-induced inflammation in the air pouch, CoQ10 was able to diminish exudate volume, the number of polymorphonulcear leucocytes and nitrite content in the air pouches. CoQ10 at 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly reduced acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction in mice from 27.0 ± 2.00 (number of abdominal constrictions) to 17.7 ± 0.33 (P < 0.01), 9.3 ± 0.67 (P < 0.01) and 1.3 ± 0.33 (P < 0.01), respectively, suggesting a strong antinociceptive activity. Conclusions CoQ10 possessed considerable anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity, possibly via down-regulating the level of nitric oxide, which partly supported its use as a dietary supplement and in combination therapy.