Renal preservation effect of ubiquinol, the reduced form of coenzyme Q10.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate the renal preservation effect of ubiquinol, the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).


METHODS
Three-week-old heminephrectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (10 animals each): diet with normal (0.3%) salt, high (8%) salt, and high salt plus 600 mg/kg body weight/day of ubiquinol, for 4 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), urinary albumin (u-alb), superoxide anion generation (lucigenin chemiluminescence) and ubiquinol levels in renal tissues were examined.


RESULTS
Salt loading increased SBP (111.0 ± 3.6 vs. 169.4 ± 14.3 mmHg, p < 0.01) and u-alb (43.8 ± 28.0 vs. 2528.7 ± 1379.0 µg/day, p < 0.02). These changes were associated with stimulation of superoxide generation in the kidney (866.3 ± 102.8 vs. 2721.4 ± 973.3 RLU/g kidney, p < 0.01). However, ubiquinol decreased SBP (143.9 ± 29.0 mmHg, p < 0.05), u-alb (256.1 ± 122.1 µg/day, p < 0.02), and renal superoxide production (877.8 ± 195.6 RLU/g kidney, p < 0.01), associated with an increase in renal ubiquinol levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Ubiquinol, the reduced form of CoQ10, effectively ameliorates renal function, probably due to its antioxidant effect. Thus, ubiquinol may be a candidate for the treatment of patients with kidney disease.
Ishikawa
Akira
A
Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan. ishikawaa-uro@h.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Kawarazaki
Hiroo
H
Ando
Katsuyuki
K
Fujita
Megumi
M
Fujita
Toshiro
T
Homma
Yukio
Y
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10; C003741:ubiquinol