Efficacy of Coenzyme Q10 in Parkinsons Disease

Coenzyme Q10 and vitamin E are found in wheat germ. Furthermore, studies in mice have shown that administration of coenzyme Q10 elevate the level of mitochondrial a-tocopherol (Lass et al., 1999). Beal and his colleagues (2002) investigated the potential usefulness of coenzyme Q10 in animal models of PD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and HD. It has been demonstrated that coenzyme Q10 can protect against striatal lesions produced by the mitochondrial toxins malonate and 3-nitropropionic acid. These toxins have been utilized to model the striatal pathology, which 

Muller et al. (2003) postulated that oxidative stress, nigral mitochondrial complex I deficiency, and visual dysfunction seen in PD were due to coenzyme Q10 deficiency. Furthermore, they showed that coenzyme Q10 supplementation provided symptomatic benefit in patients with PD. 

Shultz et al. (2002) in a multicenter, randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled, and double bend trial showed that coenzyme Q10 slowed the functional decline seen in PD. Coenzyme Q10 was safe and well tolerated at dosage of up to 1200 mg/d. Less disability developed in subjects assigned to coenzyme Q10 regimen. 

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