Interaction of coenzyme Q10 with the intestinal drug transporter P-glycoprotein

J Agric Food Chem. 2008 Aug 27;56(16):6923-7. doi: 10.1021/jf800992p. Epub 2008 Jul 26.

Abstract

In clinical trials, patients usually take many kinds of drugs at the same time. Thus, drug-drug interactions can often directly affect the therapeutic safety and efficacy of many drugs. Oral delivery is the most desirable means of drug administration. Changes in the activity of drug transporters may substantially influence the absorption of administered drugs from the intestine. However, there have been a few studies on food-drug interactions involving transporters. It is important to be aware of the potential of food-drug interactions and to act in order to prevent undesirable and harmful clinical consequences. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is very widely consumed by humans as a food supplement because of its recognition by the public as an important nutrient in supporting human health. Since intestinal efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the major factors in drug-drug interactions, we focused on this transporter. We report here for the first time that CoQ10, which is widely used as a food supplement, affects the transport activity of P-gp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / drug effects*
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / physiology
  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Digoxin / pharmacology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Quinidine / pharmacology
  • Rhodamine 123 / pharmacology
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / pharmacokinetics
  • Ubiquinone / pharmacology
  • Vitamins / pharmacology*

Substances

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1
  • Vitamins
  • Ubiquinone
  • Rhodamine 123
  • Digoxin
  • coenzyme Q10
  • Quinidine