Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2005, 149(2):501-503 | DOI: 10.5507/bp.2005.090

Effect of coenzyme Q₁₀ supplementation in the rat model of adjuvant arthritis

Katarina Bauerova^a, Jarmila Kucharska^b, Danica Mihalova^a, Jana Navarova^a, Anna Gvozdjakova^b, Zuzana Sumbalova^b

^a Institute of Experimental Pharmacology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovak Republic,

^b Pharmacobiochemical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava

Adjuvant arthritis (AA) is a model of chronic inflammation induced by Mycobacterium butyricum and characterized by similar pathophysiological and pathobiochemical changes as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in humans. In this study the antirheumatic activity of coenzyme Q₁₀ supplementation was tested not only as to its capability to suppress the inflammation edema of the hind paw and to improve the body weight of the arthritic animals, but also to improve so important biochemical parameters as markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and of mitochondrial bioenergetics. Despite the unfavorable effects on the rheumatic processes observed by monitoring biometric parameters (hind paw volume, relative body weight, relative weight of spleen), a significant protective effect was observed on the level of mitochondrial energetic and antioxidant disbalance. This finding speaks in favor of CoQ₁₀ supplementation in rheumatic patients, presumably as combinatory therapy with classical antirheumatics, e.g. NSAIDs.

Keywords: Coenzyme Q10, Supplementation, Adjuvant arthritis, Mitochondrial function, Antioxidants, Inflammation

Received: June 10, 2005; Accepted: September 25, 2005; Published: December 1, 2005  Show citation