Biofactors 2003 18(1-4): 153-61
ABSTRACT: There is increasing interest in the potential usefulness of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to treat both mitochondrial disorders as well as neuro degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Huntington’s Disease (HD),and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). CoQ10 may also be useful in treating Freidriech’s Ataxia, which is caused by a mutation in the protein fratax in localized to mitochondria. In this paper we will focus on recent studies involving CoQ10 and Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease. CoQ10is composed of a quinone ring and a 10-isoprene unit tail and is distributed in all membranes throughout the cell. Co Q10 serves as an important co-factorof the electron transport chain where it accepts electrons from complexes I and II. It is initially reduced to the semi-ubiquinone radical and then transfers electrons one at a time to complex III of the electron transport chain [1,2] CoQ10, which is also known as ubiquinone, serves as an important antioxidant in both mitochondria and lipid membranes. It mediates some of its antioxidant effects through interactions with alpha-tocopherol[1,3].