Antioxidant enzyme activities in the blood of rats treated with coenzyme Q10

Abstract

The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) administration on antioxidant enzyme activities in the blood of male, two months old Wistar albino rats. We measured the activities of copper zinc contaiuing superoxide dismutase (CuZn SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in red blood cells (RBCs), as well as glutathione-S-transferase activity in the plasma. The an mals were divided in two experimental groups: (1) control rats (C) and (2) rats treated with 20 mg/kg/dose ofcoenzyme Q10 by i.m. injections, every fifth day during 30 days (CoQ10) . An average intake of CoQ10 was 16 mg/kg/dose. After the trearm ent, the animals were exanguinated by decapitation alw ays between 8 and IO A.M. and fresh blood was collected in heparinized test tubes. The obtained results show that CoQ10 did not influenced the activities of CuZn SOD and CAT in RBCs of rats. By quenching organic oxygen-derived free radicals CoQ10 protects GSH-Px and activity of this enzyme molecule in RBCs of rats treated with CoQ10 was significantly decreased in comparison to the control animals (p<0.05). After the treatment of rats with CoQ10 the activity of GST in the plasma was significantly elevated in respect to the controls (p<0.02). Our findings confirm the results of earlier investigations, which were also showed that CoQ10 causes an increased activity of GST, and thus improve defense from oxidant injuries in normal and pathophysiological conditions.