Coenzyme Q10 and the exclusive club of diseases that show a limited response to treatment

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory disease in the pilosebaceous unit. Recent research has begun to focus on the essential relationship between oxidative stress and the pathogenesis of AV. The use of antioxidants like coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) that has various advantages as adjuvant therapy is expected to be beneficial for AV. AIM: The study was aimed to analyze the effect of CoQ10 supplementation on serum SOD levels and the severity of AV patients. METHODS: A double blind-randomized controlled trial was carried out on 36 patients with AV and classified according to severity degree of AV. These patients were randomly divided into two groups (treatment group with tretinoin 0.025% cream and once-daily supplementation of CoQ10 100 mg tablet; and placebo group with tretinoin 0.025% cream and once-daily placebo tablet). Response to treatment was based on serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) level and AV severity degree. RESULTS: Administration of CoQ10 to AV patients significantly increase serum SOD level (p = 0.008) and improves the severity of AV after 8 weeks (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: CoQ10 supplementation can increase serum SOD levels and improve the severity of AV.

Download Full-text

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover, add-on study of CoEnzyme Q10 in the prevention of pediatric and adolescent migraine

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1177/0333102411406755 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 31 (8) ◽

pp. 897-905 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

Shalonda K Slater ◽

Timothy D Nelson ◽

Marielle A Kabbouche ◽

Susan L LeCates ◽

Paul Horn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

Coenzyme Q10 ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Crossover Point ◽

Double Blind ◽

Number Of Children ◽

Migraine Frequency ◽

Headache Disability ◽

Double Blinded ◽

Over Time

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation in the prevention of migraine in children using a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, crossover, add-on trial. Background: CoQ10 has been demonstrated to have efficacy in migraine prevention in adults but lacks pediatric research with more rigorous methodology. CoQ10 has been observed to be deficient in a significant number of children and adolescents presenting to tertiary headache centers. CoQ10 has the potential to modify both the inflammatory changes that occur during recurrent migraine and the alteration of mitochondrial function. A deficit of CoQ10 could thus affect the response to treatment and clinical characteristics of migraine in children and adults. Methods: One-hundred-and-twenty children and adolescents with migraine headache were randomized in a crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, add-on study to receive a placebo or CoQ10 (100 mg) supplement for 224 days. Data for 76 patients were available at the crossover point and 50 were analysed at the endpoint. Response to treatment, overall headache improvement, and headache disability were assessed. Results: Both the placebo and CoQ10 groups showed reduced migraine frequency [ F(1, 60) = 15.68, p < 0.001], severity [ F(1, 54) = 8.09, p = 0.006], and duration [ F(1, 45) = 6.27, p = 0.016] over time. CoQ10 treated patients had a significantly greater improvement in frequency from subject reported baseline starting within 4 weeks of initiation. No group differences comparing the first 4 weeks of treatment with the last 4 weeks of treatment were found in migraine frequency [ F(1, 60) = 2.34, p > 0.05], severity [ F(1, 54) = 0.06, p > 0.05], or duration [ F(1, 45) = 0.14, p > 0.05]. Conclusions: Overall, results of the study demonstrate that children and adolescents with migraine improved over time with multidisciplinary, standardized treatment regardless of supplementation with CoQ10 or placebo. There was no difference in headache outcomes between the CoQ10 and placebo groups at day 224. Due to the improvements seen in weeks 1–4, CoQ10 may lead to earlier improvement in headache severity, but given the sample size this conclusion warrants further investigation with a larger sample.

Download Full-text

Effects of the pseudomonad phytotoxin coronatine on tomato leaf structure and ultrastructure

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100140683 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 862-863

Author(s):

D.A. Palmer ◽

C.L. Bender

Keyword(s):

Pseudomonas Syringae ◽

Membrane Integrity ◽

Leaf Tissue ◽

Cell Number ◽

Cell Ultrastructure ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Prominent Symptom ◽

Chlorophylls A And B ◽

Cell Dimensions ◽

Structure And Ultrastructure

Coronatine is a non-host-specific phytotoxin produced by several members of the Pseudomonas syringae group of pathovars. The toxin acts as a virulence factor in P. syringae pv. tomato, allowing the organism to multiply to a higher population density and develop larger lesions than mutant strains unable to produce the toxin. The most prominent symptom observed in leaf tissue treated with coronatine is an intense spreading chlorosis; this has been attributed to a loss of chlorophylls a and b in tobacco. Coronatine's effects on membrane integrity and cell ultrastructure have not been previously investigated. The present study describes changes in tomato leaves in response to treatment with purified coronatine, infection by a coronatine-producing strain of P. syringae pv. tomato, and infection by a cor" mutant.In contrast to H2O-treated tissue, coronatine-treated tissue showed a diffuse chlorosis extending approximately 5 mm from the inoculation site. Leaf thickness, cell number, and cell dimensions were similar for both healthy and coronatine-treated, chlorotic tissue; however, the epidermal cell walls were consistently thicker in coronatine-treated leaves (Figs, la and lb).

Download Full-text