Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the renal preservation effect of ubiquinol, the reduced form of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
Methods: Three-week-old heminephrectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups (10 animals each): diet with normal (0.3%) salt, high (8%) salt, and high salt plus 600 mg/kg body weight/day of ubiquinol, for 4 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), urinary albumin (u-alb), superoxide anion generation (lucigenin chemiluminescence) and ubiquinol levels in renal tissues were examined.
Results: Salt loading increased SBP (111.0 ± 3.6 vs. 169.4 ± 14.3 mmHg, p < 0.01) and u-alb (43.8 ± 28.0 vs. 2528.7 ± 1379.0 µg/day, p < 0.02). These changes were associated with stimulation of superoxide generation in the kidney (866.3 ± 102.8 vs. 2721.4 ± 973.3 RLU/g kidney, p < 0.01). However, ubiquinol decreased SBP (143.9 ± 29.0 mmHg, p < 0.05), u-alb (256.1 ± 122.1 µg/day, p < 0.02), and renal superoxide production (877.8 ± 195.6 RLU/g kidney, p < 0.01), associated with an increase in renal ubiquinol levels.
Conclusion: Ubiquinol, the reduced form of CoQ10, effectively ameliorates renal function, probably due to its antioxidant effect. Thus, ubiquinol may be a candidate for the treatment of patients with kidney disease.