Coenzyme Q₁₀
Part 3

An Antioxidant Drug

Conclusions

What does this new discovery about coenzyme-Q₁₀ mean for the HD community? Coenzyme-Q₁₀ might prove to be an effective method of treatment for HD, and it would be worthwhile for researchers and doctors to pursuer further, since it seems to be far more effective in higher doses than those tested in Ferrante’s 2002 study. While initially assumed to be an ineffective or inefficient drug, coenzyme-Q₁₀ will soon go forward for study in a Huntington Study Group clinical trial that will be funded by the NIH.

For further reading:

1. Smith KM, Matson S, Matson WR, Cormier K, Del Signore SJ, Hagerty SW, Stack EC, Ryu H, Ferrante RJ. Dose ranging and efficacy study of high-dose coenzyme Q10 formulations in Huntington's disease mice. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1762 (2006) 616–626.
   This study demonstrates that larger doses of coenzyme-Q10 are more effective in treating HD mice. A fairly technical research article.
2. Koroshetz, et al. "Energy Metabolism Defects in Huntington’s Disease and Effects of Coenzyme Q sub 10". Annals of Neurology. 1997, Feb; 41(2): 160-5.
   This study used oral supplements of coenzyme-Q10 to raise energy metabolism in nerve cells and lower lactate levels in human HD patients. A technical research article.
3. The Huntington Study Group. "A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in Huntington’s disease." Neurology. 2001, Aug 14; 57(3): 397-404.
   This experiment Indicates that the use of remacemide and CoQ10 was not efficient enough to warrant study as a treatment. A fairly technical research article.
4. Ferrante RJ, Andreassen OA, Dedeoglu A, Ferrante KL, Jenkins BG,Hersch SM, Beal MF. "Therapeutic effects of coenzyme Q10 and remacemide in transgenic mouse models of Huntington's disease." The Journal of Neuroscience, March 1, 2002, 22(5):1592-1599
   This article is the first study from the Ferrante group about treating mice with low doses of coenzyme-Q10. A technical article.

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Last Modified: 05/22/2009

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