Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation on Inflammatory Cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and Oxidative Stress in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
OBJECTIVE
Overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines is a main trait of rheumatoid arthritis. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an endogenous antioxidant, has shown anti-inflammatory effects in some diseases. In this study we aimed to assess the effects of CoQ10 supplementation on cytokines generation and oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis.


METHODS
In this double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial, 44 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were recruited. Twenty two patients received 100 mg/day capsules of CoQ10 and 22 patients took placebo for 2 months. At the beginning and the end of the intervention, 7 mL of fasting blood was taken from patients to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α).


RESULTS
At the end of the study, serum MDA significantly decreased in supplemented group (mean difference = -1.47 nmol/mL; 95% confidence interval (CI), -2.52 to -0.43; p = 0.008). CoQ10 also suppressed overexpression of TNF-α (difference in median was +1.1 in placebo vs. +0.03 in CoQ10 group; p = 0.033). There was no significant difference in TAC and IL-6 levels between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed beneficial effects of CoQ10 supplementation on inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Students' Research Committee, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Hadi
H
Abdollahzad
Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Mir Amir
MA
Aghdashi
Road Traffic Injury Research Center, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Mohammad
M
Asghari Jafarabadi
Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: alipourb@tbzmed.ac.ir.
Beitollah
B
Alipour
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D055815:Young Adult
D000975:Antioxidants; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014451:Ubiquinone; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C024989:coenzyme Q10; C025204:Ubiquinone Q2
Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)); Inflammatory cytokines; Oxidative stress; Rheumatoid arthritis; Ubiquinol