The protection of coenzyme Q10 against experimental viral myocarditis in mice

We studied the effects of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on DBA/2 mice inoculated with the M variant of encephalomyocarditis virus. The mice were treated as follows: 1) CoQ group (n = 49); CoQ10 1.0 mg (0.1 ml) X 2/day (0.1 mg/g/day), 2) control group (n = 55); sham-liquid 0.1 ml X 2/day. These treatments were intraperitoneally performed every day on days -1 to 12. In both groups, we determined the heart and serum contents of CoQ9 and CoQ10, which are the biologically active forms of CoQ in mice, in the mice killed on days 3-4 and 7. There was no significant change in the cumulative incidence of myocarditis in both groups. The survival rate was significantly higher on days 5-12 in the CoQ group than in the control group. There were significant increases of CoQ9 content on days 3-4, and CoQ10 content on days 3-4 and 7, in the heart in the CoQ group as compared with the control group. There was no significant change in the serum content of CoQ9 in both groups. The marked increase of the serum CoQ10 content seen in the CoQ group was due to the results of the exogenous administration of CoQ10. Thus, it may be concluded that CoQ10 may have a protective effect against viral myocarditis in man, in whom CoQ10 is only an active form of CoQ.