title: Coenzyme Q10 in the central nervous system and its potential usefulness in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
abstract: Coenzyme Q10 is an essential cofactor of the electron transport chain and is an antioxidant. We examined the effects of oral feeding with coenzyme Q10 in young animals on brain concentrations. Feeding with coenzyme Q10 at a dose of 200 mg/kg for 1-2 months in young rats resulted in significant increases in liver concentrations, however, there was no significant increase in brain concentrations of either reduced- or total coenzyme Q10 levels. Nevertheless there was a reduction in malonate-induced increases in 2,5 dihydroxybenzoic acid to salicylate, consistent with an antioxidant effect. In other studies we found that oral administration of coenzyme Q10 significantly reduced increased concentrations of lactate in the occipital cortex of Huntington's disease patients. These findings suggest that coenzyme Q10 might be useful in treating neurodegenerative diseases.
authors.affiliation: Neurology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Beal
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D003067:Coenzymes; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004579:Electron Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D005841:Gentisates; D006801:Humans; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates / Q000378:metabolism; D007267:Injections; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008314:Malonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012459:Salicylates / Q000378:metabolism; D020156:Salicylic Acid; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D003067:Coenzymes; D005841:Gentisates; D062385:Hydroxybenzoates; D008314:Malonates; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D012459:Salicylates; D014451:Ubiquinone; C009135:2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid; C030290:malonic acid; C024989:coenzyme Q10; D020156:Salicylic Acid; C010925:2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid