Concentration Of Coenzyme Q10 Research Articles

Features of the influence of the antioxidant ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate and the drug ubidecarenone on plasma concentrations of ubiquinone, ubiquinol and the redox state of coenzyme Q10

Relevance. Coenzyme Q10 is one of the main components that maintain the balance of the body's redox regulatory system. Although some studies have examined plasma concentrations of CoQ10 in various diseases, the distribution of ubiquinol and ubiquinone, as well as the redox state of CoQ10, remain largely unexplored. The purpose of the study. The purpose of the study was to study the ratio of ubiquinone and ubiquinol concentrations in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) administrating the antioxidant ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate and the domestic drug ubidecarenone (CoQ10 drug). Methods. The study included 58 patients with functional class (FC) of CHF 0−III (according to NYHA), who were divided into 2 groups for subsequent assessment of the effect of ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate and ubidecarenone on endogenous plasma concentrations of total CoQ10, ubiquinol and ubiquinone. The concentrations of the studied substances were determined by HPLC-MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Results. The study revealed that with additional administration of the drug ubidecarenone, there was an increase in the concentration of coenzyme Q10 (+25.0 Δ%), a significant increase in the concentration of ubiquinol (+43.4 Δ%), as well as a sharp increase in redox state (+74.6 Δ%) compared to the control group. During administration of ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate in addition to standard therapy, patients experienced a statistically significant increase in the concentration of coenzyme Q10 (+20.22 Δ%), a significant increase in the concentration of ubiquinol (+25.0 Δ%) and ubiquinone (+17.7 Δ%) according to compared with a control group receiving standard therapy. Conclusion. With the additional administration of ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate and ubidecarenone to standard therapy, a statistically significant increase in the concentration of total CoQ10 is observed. However, when administrating ubidecarenone, a sharp increase in the redox state of CoQ10 is observed due to its reduced form — ubiquinol. While during administration of ethylmethylhydroxypyridine malate, it is observed an unreliable but positive trend towards an increase in the redox state of CoQ10 due to a statistically significant increase in the concentration of both ubiquinone and ubiquinol.

The Effect of Adjuvant Therapy with Molecular Hydrogen on Endogenous Coenzyme Q10 Levels and Platelet Mitochondrial Bioenergetics in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Molecular hydrogen (H2) has been recognized as a novel medical gas with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver pathology with increased fat accumulation in liver tissue caused by factors other than alcohol consumption. Platelet mitochondrial function is considered to reflect systemic mitochondrial health. We studied the effect of adjuvant therapy with hydrogen-rich water (HRW) on coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) content and platelet mitochondrial bioenergetics in patients with NAFLD. A total of 30 patients with NAFLD and 15 healthy volunteers were included in this clinical trial. A total of 17 patients (H2 group) drank water three × 330 mL/day with tablets producing HRW (>4 mg/L H2) for 8 weeks, and 13 patients (P group) drank water with placebo tablets producing CO2. The concentration of CoQ10-TOTAL was determined by the HPLC method, the parameter of oxidative stress, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), by the spectrophotometric method, and mitochondrial bioenergetics in platelets isolated from whole blood by high-resolution respirometry. The patients with NAFLD had lower concentrations of CoQ10-TOTAL in the blood, plasma, and platelets vs. the control group. Mitochondrial CI-linked LEAK respiration was higher, and CI-linked oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and CII-linked electron transfer (ET) capacities were lower vs. the control group. Plasma TBARS concentrations were higher in the H2 group. After 8 weeks of adjuvant therapy with HRW, the concentration of CoQ10 in platelets increased, plasma TBARS decreased, and the efficiency of OXPHOS improved, while in the P group, the changes were non-significant. Long-term supplementation with HRW could be a promising strategy for the acceleration of health recovery in patients with NAFLD. The application of H2 appears to be a new treatment strategy for targeted therapy of mitochondrial disorders. Additional and longer-term studies are needed to confirm and elucidate the exact mechanisms of the mitochondria-targeted effects of H2 therapy in patients with NAFLD.

Blood Concentration of Coenzyme Q10 Increases in Rats When Esterified Forms Are Administered

Coenzyme Q levels decrease during aging in most tissues and in the target organs of a number of diseases. The uptake of this lipid into the blood and other tissues was investigated in 6-wk-old male Sprague-Dawley rats after 3 wk of dietary supplementation. In addition to the natural form of coenzyme Q10, acetylated and succinylated forms were also administered. Coenzyme Q10 was taken up into the blood, but uptake was significantly greater in rats given the succinylated (∼40%), and particularly, the acetylated forms (∼70%). All three forms increased significantly the total coenzyme Q concentration in both the liver (∼100%) and spleen (∼130%). Coenzyme Q10 and its esterified forms were not taken up into kidney, heart, muscle or brain. Intraportal and intraperitoneal administration of succinylated coenzyme Q10 gave results similar to those obtained in the dietary experiments. Uptake of the dietary coenzyme Q10 into the liver and spleen did not down-regulate the endogenous synthesis, i.e., the amounts of isolated coenzyme Q9 did not change in these tissues. Thus, esterification of coenzyme Q increases the uptake of dietary lipid into the blood; however, the derivatization does not contribute to the elevation of coenzyme Q levels in various organs.

Characterization and bioavailability of a novel coenzyme Q10 nanoemulsion used as an infant formula supplement

Supplementation with Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), in patients with its deficiency, has greater odds of success if the treatment is carried out early with an appropriate formulation. For neonatal CoQ10 deficiency, infant formula supplementation could be an attractive option. However, solid CoQ10 cannot be solubilized or dispersed in milk matrix leading to an inefficient CoQ10 dosage and poor intestinal absorption. We developed and characterized a high-dose CoQ10 oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion suitable to supplement infant formula without modifying its organoleptic characteristics. CoQ10 powder and soy lecithin were solubilized in an oil phase consisted of Labrasol® and LabrafacTM. The aqueous phase was Tween 80, TPGS, methylparaben and propylparaben. O/W nanoemulsion was prepared by adding dropwise the oil phase to the aqueous phase under stirring to a final concentration of CoQ10 9.5 % w/w followed by ultrasonic homogenization. Pharmacotechnical parameters were determined. This formulation resulted to be easily to be dispersed in milk matrix, stable for at least 90 days, with no cytotoxicity in in vitro assays, and higher bioavailability than CoQ10 powder. CoQ10 nanoemulsion supplementation in the infant formula facilitates the individualized administration for the child with accurate dosage, overcome swallowing difficulties and in turn could increase the treatment adherence and efficacy.

Plasma CoQ10 Status in Patients with Propionic Acidaemia and Possible Benefit of Treatment with Ubiquinol.

Propionic acidaemia (PA) is an innate error of metabolism involving a deficiency in the enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Better control of acute decompensation episodes together with better treatment and monitoring have improved the prognosis of patients with this problem. However, long-term complications can arise in those in whom good metabolic control is achieved, the result of mitochondrial dysfunction caused by deficient anaplerosis, increased oxidative stress, and reduced antioxidative capacity. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a nutritional supplement that has a notable antioxidative effect and has been shown to improve mitochondrial function. The present prospective, interventional study examines the plasma concentration of CoQ10 in patients with PA, their tolerance of such supplementation with ubiquinol, and its benefits. Seven patients with PA (aged 2.5 to 20 years, 4 males) received supplements of CoQ10 in the form of ubiquinol (10 mg/kg/day for 6 months). A total of 6/7 patients showed reduced plasma CoQ10 concentrations that normalized after supplementation with ubiquinol (p-value < 0.001), which was well tolerated. Urinary citrate levels markedly increased during the study (p-value: 0.001), together with elevation of citrate/methlycitrate ratio (p-value: 0.03). No other significant changes were seen in plasma or urine biomarkers of PA. PA patients showed a deficiency of plasma CoQ10, which supplementation with ubiquinol corrected. The urinary excretion of Krebs cycle intermediate citrate and the citrate/methylcitrate ratio significantly increased compared to the baseline, suggesting improvement in anaplerosis. This treatment was well tolerated and should be further investigated as a means of preventing the chronic complications associated with likely multifactorial mitochondrial dysfunction in PA.

The Effect of the Addition of Co-Q10 on the Preservation of Boar Semen at 17°C

Background: With the increasing application of artificial insemination technology in boars, breeding efficiency is largely determined by the quality of semen preservation. With the prolonged storage of semen at room temperature in vitro, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage organelles and plasma membranes and ultimately lead to a decline in semen quality. Methods: In order to improve the preservation of semen at 17°C, this experiment investigated the effect of different concentrations (0, 10, 15, 25, 35 µg/mL) of coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) in Modena dilution on the quality of boar semen during storage at 17°C. The sperm motility, mitochondrial activity, total antioxidant (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed at 17°C at different times (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 d). Result: The results showed that the addition of Co-Q10 has a positive effect during the preservation of boar semen at 17°C. On the 5th day, the sperm motility of the 25 µg/mL Co-Q10 group was 73.80% and the mitochondrial activity was 82.94%, which was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than that of other groups. In terms of antioxidant levels, the MDA content of the 25 µg/ml and 35 µg/ml Co-Q10 groups on the 5th day was significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that of the other groups. At the same time, the 25 µg/ml group could effectively enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the SOD and T-AOC were 17.33 U/mL and 3.17 U/mL on the 5th day significantly higher than the other groups (P less than 0.05). The results showed that the most appropriate concentration of Co-Q10 when storing boar semen at 17°C was 25 µg/ml.

Heart Failure-Do We Need New Drugs or Have Them Already? A Case of Coenzyme Q10.

Heart failure (HF) is a global epidemic that contributes to the deterioration of quality of life and its shortening in 1–3% of adult people in the world. Pharmacotherapy of HF should rely on highly effective drugs that improve prognosis and prolong life. Currently, the ESC guidelines from 2021 indicate that ACEI, ARNI, BB, and SGLT2 inhibitors are the first-line drugs in HF. It is also worth remembering that the use of coenzyme Q10 brought many benefits in patients with HF. Coenzyme Q10 is a very important compound that performs many functions in the human body. The most important function of coenzyme Q10 is participation in the production of energy in the mitochondria, which determines the proper functioning of all cells, tissues, and organs. The highest concentration of coenzyme Q10 is found in the tissue of the heart muscle. As the body ages, the concentration of coenzyme Q10 in the tissue of the heart muscle decreases, which makes it more susceptible to damage by free radicals. It has been shown that in patients with HF, the aggravation of disease symptoms is inversely related to the concentration of coenzyme Q10. Importantly, the concentration of coenzyme Q10 in patients with HF was an important predictor of the risk of death. Long-term coenzyme Q10 supplementation at a dose of 300 mg/day (Q-SYMBIO study) has been shown to significantly improve heart function and prognosis in patients with HF. This article summarizes the latest and most important data on CoQ10 in pathogenesis.

Supplementation of the freezing medium with Coenzyme Q10 attenuates oxidative stress and improves function of frozen-thawed giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) spermatozoa

Incorporation of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to the freezing medium provides advantageous effect for sperm cryopreservation in a variety of animal species, yet which has not been tested in giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus). This research was designed to elucidate if CoQ10 could be used as a potential additive to improve giant grouper sperm quality after cryopreservation. After the process of freezing and thawing, various sperm quality parameters including motility, viability, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, DNA fragmentation as well as fertilization rate were evaluated with CoQ10 added at concentrations of 0, 25, 50 and 100 μM. Compared to the control group (0 μm), addition of CoQ10 in the medium yielded significantly higher total motility and curvilinear velocity, whereas the progressive motility, straight-line velocity and average path velocity were not differ from each other. An obvious improvement in viability was observed in spermatozoa cryopreserved with 25 and 50 μM CoQ10, while the apoptosis rate in CoQ10 treated groups (25, 50 and 100 μM) exhibited significantly lower values than that of the control. Besides, the production of ROS was significantly decreased with CoQ10 addition groups when compared with the control. In consistent with the improvement in antioxidant defense, CoQ10 supplementation in the medium also enhanced mitochondrial activity and reduced DNA fragmentation. In addition, freezing medium supplemented with CoQ10 also improved the fertilization success, a significantly higher fertilization rate was recorded at the concentration of 50 μM, but this value was not differ from that of 25 μM. Overall, the antioxidant CoQ10 provided an obvious beneficial effect on post-thaw quality of giant grouper spermatozoa. It was concluded that the optimal concentration of CoQ10 is 50 μM in the freezing medium.

Coenzyme Q10 Phytosome Formulation Improves CoQ10 Bioavailability and Mitochondrial Functionality in Cultured Cells.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a lipid-soluble molecule with a dual role: it transfers electrons in the mitochondrial transport chain by promoting the transmembrane potential exploited by the ATPase to synthesize ATP and, in its reduced form, is a membrane antioxidant. Since the high CoQ10 hydrophobicity hinders its bioavailability, several formulations have been developed to facilitate its cellular uptake. In this work, we studied the bioenergetic and antioxidant effects in I407 and H9c2 cells of a CoQ10 phytosome formulation (UBIQSOME®, UBQ). We investigated the cellular and mitochondrial content of CoQ10 and its redox state after incubation with UBQ. We studied different bioenergetic parameters, such as oxygen consumption, ATP content and mitochondrial potential. Moreover, we evaluated the effects of CoQ10 incubation on oxidative stress, membrane lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis and highlighted the connection between the intracellular concentration of CoQ10 and its antioxidant potency. Finally, we focused on the cellular mechanism that regulates UBQ internalization. We showed that the cell lines used in this work share the same uptake mechanism for UBQ, although the intestinal cell line was less efficient. Given the limitations of an in vitro model, the latter result supports that intestinal absorption is a critical step for the oral administration of Coenzyme Q10 formulations.

Is plasma concentration of coenzyme Q10 a predictive marker for left ventricular remodelling after revascularization for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction?

Left ventricular remodelling that frequently occurs after acute myocardial infarction is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death. Although several risk factors have been identified, there is still no marker in clinical use to predict left ventricular remodelling. Plasma concentration of coenzyme Q10, which plays a key role in mitochondrial energy production and as an antioxidant, seems to be negatively correlated with left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction. The goal of our study was to determine whether the plasma coenzyme Q10 baseline concentrations at time of the ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) could predict left ventricular remodelling at six months' follow-up. Sixty-eight patients who were admitted to hospital for STEMI and successfully revascularized with primary percutaneous coronary intervention were recruited. All patients underwent a 3D-echocardiography examination within the first four days after percutaneous coronary intervention and six months later then divided into two groups based on the presence or not of left ventricular remodelling. Plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. While we found similar plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations compared with other studies, no association was evidenced between coenzyme Q10 concentrations and left ventricular remodelling (P = 0.89). We found no evidence for using plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration as an early prediction marker of left ventricular remodelling after STEMI.

Platelet mitochondrial function and endogenous coenzyme Q10 levels are reduced in patients after COVID-19.

After an acute treatment for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), some symptoms may persist for several weeks, for example: fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pain, cough, loss of taste and smell, sleep and memory disturbances, depression. Many viruses manipulate mitochondrial function, but the exact mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 virus effect remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 virus may affect mitochondrial energy production and endogenous biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Ten patients after COVID-19 and 15 healthy individuals were included in the study. Platelets isolated from peripheral blood were used as an accessible source of mitochondria. High-resolution respirometry for the evaluation of platelets mitochondrial function, and HPLC method for CoQ10 determination were used. Oxidative stress was evaluated by TBARS concentration in plasma. Platelet mitochondrial respiratory chain function, oxidative phosphorylation and endogenous CoQ10 level were reduced in the patients after COVID-19. We assume that a reduced concentration of endogenous CoQ10 may partially block electron transfer in the respiratory chain resulting in a reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in the patients after COVID-19. Targeted mitochondrial therapy with CoQ10 supplementation and spa rehabilitation may improve mitochondrial health and accelerate the recovery of the patients after COVID-19. Platelet mitochondrial function and CoQ10 content may be useful mitochondrial health biomarkers after SARS-CoV-2 infection (Tab. 3, Fig. 3, Ref. 46).

Investigation of ex vivo Skin Penetration of Coenzyme Q10 from Microemulsions and Hydrophilic Cream

Introduction: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been widely used in topical and cosmeceutical products due to its cutaneous antioxidant and energizer effects. CoQ10 is found in a higher concentration in the epidermis compared to dermis. The epidermal level of CoQ10 can be reduced due to several factors such as skin UV irradiation and photoaging. Various dermal nano-formulations have been investigated to overcome the skin barrier and enhance the poor penetration of CoQ10. The nanocarriers are designed to target and concentrate the CoQ10 in the viable epidermis. Most of these studies, however, failed to show the depth and extent of penetration of CoQ10 from the various carrier systems. Objective: The distribution of CoQ10 across the various skin layers has to be shown using skin slices representing the different skin layers. Methods: To realize this objective, a sensitive and selective HPLC method was developed and validated for the quantification of CoQ10 in the different skin slices. The method applicability to skin penetration (using excised human skin) as well as stability studies was investigated using CoQ10-loaded lecithin-based microemulsion (ME) and hydrophilic cream formulations. Results: It could be shown that the highest concentration of CoQ10 in the viable epidermis, the target skin layer for CoQ10, was observed after application of the CoQ10 in the hydrophilic cream. This cream contains 10% of 2-ethylhexyl laurate which works obviously as a penetration enhancer for CoQ10. In contrast, the penetration of CoQ10 was lower from the ME. Just in the deeper dermis, a certain amount of CoQ10 could be detected. Conclusions: The HPLC method quantified the trace quantities of the CoQ10 distributed across the various skin layers and, hence, can be used to investigate the skin penetration of CoQ10 from various dermal standard and nano-formulations.

Effect of Statin Therapy on the Plasma Concentrations of Retinol, Alpha-Tocopherol and Coenzyme Q10 in Children with Familial Hypercholesterolemia

PurposeFamilial hypercholesterolemia (FH) requires early treatment. However, statins, which are regarded the first-line therapy, have an influence on redox balance. Antioxidant vitamins are important for many metabolic processes in the developing body. There are few data available on the long-term safety of statin use in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of statin treatment in children with FH on plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins: retinol, alpha-tocopherol and coenzyme Q10.MethodsThe first study group consisted of 13 children aged 10–18 years treated with simvastatin for at least 6 months, and the second group comprised 13 age- and sex-matched children with hypercholesterolemia, in whom pharmacological treatment had not been applied yet. Analyses were performed using a high-performance liquid chromatograph coupled with a MS detector.ResultsThe analysis did not reveal significant differences in the concentration of retinol, alpha-tocopherol or coenzyme Q10 between the studied groups. The adjustment of the concentrations of the vitamins to the cholesterol level also indicated no significant differences. We found no deficits in antioxidant vitamins in patients treated with statins, or any risk of adverse effects associated with an increase in their concentration.ConclusionThere is no rationale for additional supplementation using antioxidant vitamins or modification of low-fat and low-cholesterol diet in pediatric patients treated with statins.

Hydrogen gas activates coenzyme Q10 to restore exhausted CD8+ T cells, especially PD-1+Tim3+terminal CD8+ T cells, leading to better nivolumab outcomes in patients with lung cancer.

As previously reported, hydrogen gas improves the prognosis of patients with cancer by restoring exhausted CD8+ T cells into active CD8+ T cells, possibly by activating mitochondria. As mitochondrial activators exhibit synergistic effects with nivolumab, the current study investigated whether hydrogen gas also affects the clinical outcomes of nivolumab. A total of 42 of 56 patients with lung cancer treated with nivolumab received hydrogen gas. Exhausted markers (PD-1 and Tim-3) on cell populations in the CD8+ T cell differentiation pathway were analyzed using flow cytometry. The concentration of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) was measured as a marker of mitochondrial function. The 42 patients treated with hydrogen gas and nivolumab (HGN) indicated a significantly longer overall survival (OS) compared with those treated with nivolumab only (n=14). In multivariate analysis, PD-1+Tim-3+terminal CD8+ T cells (PDT+) were an independent poor prognostic factor in OS, and CoQ10 showed a tendency to be associated with improved OS. The change in the rate of PDT+ and CoQ10 after vs. before HGN (PDT+ ratio and CoQ10 ratio, respectively) revealed that patients with low PDT+ ratio (<0.81) and high CoQ10 ratio (>1.175) had significantly longer OS compared with those with high PDT+ ratio and low CoQ10 ratio. Furthermore, PDT+, with a significant reverse correlation with CoQ10, was significantly lower in patients with high CoQ10 and/or CoQ10 ratio than in those low CoQ10 and/or CoQ10. Hydrogen gas has been suggested to enhance the clinical efficacy of nivolumab by increasing CoQ10 (mitochondria) to reduce PDT+, with PDT+ and CoQ10 as reliable negative and positive biomarkers of nivolumab, respectively.

Transport via Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 contributes to the intestinal absorption of ubiquinone

Ubiquinone, which is a component in the electron-transport systems of mitochondria, is essential for various activities related to energy metabolism, but the detailed absorption mechanism of ubiquinone is not clear. On the other hand, Niemann-Pick C1 Like 1 (NPC1L1) is involved in the intestinal absorption of fat-soluble components such as cholesterol. In this study, we investigated whether the intestinal absorption of ubiquinone was transported by NPC1L1 as is cholesterol. In this study, coenzyme q10 (CoQ10) and coenzyme q9 (CoQ9) were used as models of ubiquinone. The transport activity of ubiquinone was increased significantly in NPC1L1-overexpressed Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells compared with that in pMAM2-BSD vector-transfected MDCK cells and the uptake of ubiquinone was decreased in the presence of ezetimibe, an inhibitor of NPC1L1. These results indicate that NPC1L1 mediates the transport of ubiquinone. Furthermore, to clarify the effect of NPC1L1 on the intestinal absorption of CoQ10, emulsified CoQ10 was orally administered to Wistar rats, and the plasma concentration was measured. The plasma concentration of CoQ10 was significantly decreased by coadministration of ezetimibe and CoQ10 compared to that with administration of only CoQ10. This result indicates that the intestinal absorption of CoQ10 is mediated by NPC1L1.

Systemic Redox Imbalance in Patients with Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

The aim of our study was to evaluate redox status, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant barriers, oxidative damage of proteins, lipids and DNA, as well as concentration of coenzyme Q10 and vitamins A and E in patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD). The study was performed on fifteen Caucasian individuals (median age 24 years and seven months) diagnosed with CGD. The mutation in the NCF1 gene was confirmed in ten patients, and in the CYBB gene in five patients. We demonstrated high levels of total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI), lipids (↑8-isoprostanes (8-isoP), ↑4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE)), proteins (↑advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP)) and DNA (↑8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)) oxidation products in CGD individuals as compared to sex- and age-matched healthy controls. We showed enhanced serum enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD) and significantly decreased coenzyme Q10 concentration. Our study confirmed redox disturbances and increased oxidative damage in CGD patients, and indicated the need to compare redox imbalance depending on the type of mutation and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase activity. The question regarding effectiveness of antioxidant therapy in patients with CGD is open, and the need to establish guidelines in this area remains to be addressed.

Platelet Mitochondrial Respiration, Endogenous Coenzyme Q10 and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by a progressive loss of renal function and a decrease of glomerular filtration rate. Reduced mitochondrial function, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and increased oxidative stress in patients with CKD contribute to the disease progression. We tested whether CoQ10 levels, oxidative stress and platelet mitochondrial bioenergetic function differ between groups of CKD patients. Methods: Twenty-seven CKD patients were enrolled in this trial, 17 patients had arterial hypertension (AH) and 10 patients had arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus (AH and DM). The control group consisted of 12 volunteers. A high-resolution respirometry (HRR) method was used for the analysis of mitochondrial bioenergetics in platelets, and an HPLC method with UV detection was used for CoQ10 determination in platelets, blood, and plasma. Oxidative stress was determined as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Results: Platelets mitochondrial respiration showed slight, not significant differences between the groups of CKD patients and control subjects. The oxygen consumption by intact platelets positively correlated with the concentration of CoQ10 in the platelets of CKD patients. Conclusion: A decreased concentration of CoQ10 and oxidative stress could contribute to the progression of renal dysfunction in CKD patients. The parameters of platelet respiration assessed by high-resolution respirometry can be used only as a weak biological marker for mitochondrial diagnosis and therapy monitoring in CKD patients.

Optimization of coenzyme Q10 encapsulation in liposomes using supercritical carbon dioxide

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)-loaded liposomes were prepared with soy lecithin utilizing a single step supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) method, which did not require the use of organic solvents, buffers or surfactants. The effects of pressure, temperature, pressurization rate and CoQ10-to-lecithin ratio on bioactive loading (BL), particle size (Ps) and polydispersity index (PdI) were investigated and modeled by response surface methodology (RSM). Pressure and concentration of CoQ10 had a great influence on the three responses. High pressures led to lower BLs, but also particles with smaller Ps and PdI. High concentrations of CoQ10 allowed obtaining higher BLs and lower PdI, but also higher Ps. High pressurization rates were needed to obtain high BLs, but, in contrast, it also led to higher PdIs. Temperature had a positive influence only on the PdI. The optimum conditions predicted by the model to simultaneously maximize the BL and minimize the Ps and PdI were 30 MPa, 40 °C, 6 MPa∙min−1 and 17 mol% CoQ10 (BL of 4.2 %, Ps of 177 nm and PdI of 0.313). Furthermore, encapsulation efficiencies between 87.6–99.7 % were achieved and semi-spherical stable particles (zeta potential ≈ −70 mV) were formed. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated a potential loss of crystallinity upon the encapsulation of CoQ10 into the liposomes. The findings reveal the great potential of this SCCO2 method for the encapsulation of CoQ10 in liposomes.

Coenzyme Q10 Insufficiency Contributes to the Duration and Frequency of Seizures in Epileptic Patients.

Introduction:Oxidative stress has recently emerged as a possible mechanism in the pathogenesis of epilepsy. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a strong endogenous antioxidant that protects cells from lipid oxidation and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production; however, the impact of CoQ10 on seizure characteristics in epileptic patients is unclear.Methods:The current study enrolled patients with Epileptic Seizure (ES) to evaluate their serum concentration of CoQ10 and to investigate whether a relationship exists between CoQ10 levels with the duration, frequency, and type of seizure.Results:A total of 39 patients with epileptic seizures and 35 healthy controls were included in the study. The levels of CoQ10 in ES patients were significantly lower in comparison with healthy controls (11.99±5.93 vs (ng/ml). 16.48±4.20 (ng/ml) P<0.001). We also found that the duration of epilepsy and seizure frequency was negatively correlated with serum CoQ10 levels.Conclusion:These findings indicate that CoQ10 deficiency might substantially contribute to the clinical signs of epileptic patients.

Enhancement of intestinal absorption of coenzyme Q10 using emulsions containing oleyl polyethylene acetic acids

Emulsions have often been prepared to improve absorption of lipophilic compounds that have poor solubility. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a lipophilic compound that has been used as an anti-aging supplement. We focused on oleyl polyethyleneoxy acetic acid, an oxa acid derivative, to prepare emulsions of CoQ10 with the expectation of application to oral pharmaceutics. Oxa acids were purified and classified into four groups based on the average length of the ethylene oxide chain. The emulsion that were prepared using the four oxa acid groups were administered to rats and the plasma concentration profiles of CoQ10 were analyzed. The absorption of CoQ10 was improved in all emulsion groups compared with that in the powder group. The emulsion using oxa acid (n = 9.0) greatly increased the plasma concentration of CoQ10. Absorption was also improved by using emulsions containing larger percentage of oxa acids (6%, 15% and 23%) to compared with the same oxa acid (n = 9.0). The effects of oxa acids on cell viability were almost the same as those of conventional surfactants such as polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80). The results showed that oxa acids are useful to prepare emulsions for oral administration and that the absorption of CoQ10 using oxa acids is significantly improved by using our formulations.