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semiquinone
Cofactor in mitochondrial electron transport. It is endogenously synthesized from isopentenyl pyrophosphate, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of cholesterol.
Pharmacology: Coenzyme Q10
Indications: (uses)
1) congestive heart failure [8]
2) diabetes mellitus type 2
3) male infertility
4) muscular dystrophy
5) obesity, weight loss
6) hypertension (10% reduction in blood pressure)
7) replacement therapy with concurrent statin use [1-4]
a) diminishes statin-induced myalgia [9]
b) not useful for statin-induced myopathy [8]
c) small trials suggest benefit, but larger trials needed [12]
8) migraine prophylaxis [5,8]
9) Parkinson's disease (investigational) [6]
10) mitochondrial disorders [8]
Dosage:
1) 30-1200 mg PO QD
2) statin myopathy: 100 mg QD [10]
3) heart failure: 60-300 mg QD [10]
4) hypertension: 100-200 mg QD [10,11]*
5) type-2 diabetes: 100-20 mg QD [10]
6) migraine prophylaxis: 150 mg PO QD [5]
7) Parkinson's disease: 1200 mg QD-TID [6]
* may lower systolic BP up to 21 mm Hg & diastolic BP up to 16 mm Hg in patients with hypertension [11]
* GRS11 claims that in combination with 25 lb weight loss, may lower systolic blood pressure >140 - 85 = >55 mm Hg (no supporting data provided)
Adverse effects:
1) generally considered safe in doses up to 3 grams/day
- increased serum transaminases with doses > 300 mg/day [11]
2) safety in children & pregnant women not determined
3) nausea, headache, diarrhea at high doses [10,11]
4) hypotension [11]
Drug interactions:
1) Coenzyme Q10 may reduce effect of warfarin [7]
2) Coenzyme Q10 may increase effect of insulin [7]
3) Coenzyme Q10 may interact with cancer chemotherapeutic agents
4) statins diminish serum levels of ubiquinone [1-4]; coenzyme Q10 supplementation may restore serum CoQ levels
5) beta-blockers, phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, methyldopa, hydrochlorothiazide, clonidine, hydralazine reported to have interaction, increasing need for or decreasing bioavailability of CoQ10
Laboratory:
- ubiquinone 10 in serum/plasma
- ubiquinone 10 in tissue
Mechanism of action:
- ubiquinone serves as a cofactor in electron transport
- putative vasodilator via reduction of reactive oxygen [13]
- preservation of nitric oxide in the endothelium
Interactions
molecular events
General
cofactor
electron carrier
quinone
Properties
QUANTITY: 2
COMPARTMENT: inner mitochondrial membrane
FORM: semiquinone
Database Correlations
Kegg map/map00130
References
- Ghirlanda et al, J Clin Pharmacol. 33:226, 1993
- Mortensen et al Mol Aspects Med 18(suppl):S137, 1997
- Folkers et al, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 87:8931, 1990
- Bargossi et al, Int J Clin Lab Res 24:171, 1994
- Prescriber's Letter 9(6):33 2002
- Journal Watch 22(23):176, 2002
Shults CW et al, Arch Neurol 59:1541, 2002
- Use of Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) in Patients Taking Statins
Prescriber's Letter 11(4):22 2004
Detail-Document#: 200420
(subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com
- Uses of Coenzyme Q10
Prescriber's Letter 11(7):41 2004
Detail-Document#: 200712
(subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com
- Caso G, Kelly P, McNurlan MA, Lawson WE.
Effect of coenzyme q10 on myopathic symptoms in patients
treated with statins.
Am J Cardiol. 2007 May 15;99(10):1409-12. Epub 2007 Apr 3.
PMID: 17493470
- Prescriber's Letter 17(6): 2010
Uses of Coenzyme Q10
Detail-Document#: 260607
(subscription needed) http://www.prescribersletter.com
- Geriatric Review Syllabus, 8th edition (GRS8)
Durso SC and Sullivan GN (eds)
American Geriatrics Society, 2013
- Geriatric Review Syllabus, 11th edition (GRS11)
Harper GM, Lyons WL, Potter JF (eds)
American Geriatrics Society, 2022
- Wyman M1, Leonard M, Morledge T.
Coenzyme Q10: a therapy for hypertension and statin-induced
myalgia?
Cleve Clin J Med. 2010 Jul;77(7):435-42.
PMID: 20601617
- Rossman MJ, Santos-Parker JR, Steward CAC et al
Chronic Supplementation With a Mitochondrial Antioxidant
(MitoQ) Improves Vascular Function in Healthy Older Adults.
Hypertension. 2018 Apr 16.
PMID: 29661838
Component-of
alpha tocopherol/carnitine/coenzyme/ubiquinone
alpha tocopherol/lipoate/ubiquinone
coenzyme/lipoate/ubiquinone
coenzyme/ubiquinone/vitamin e
docosahexaenoate/eicosapentaenoate/ubiquinone/vitamin e
glycine/isoleucine/ubiquinone
lipoate/ubiquinone
red yeast rice/ubiquinone
tocopherol/ubiquinone
ubiquinone/vitamin e