Coenzyme Q10 and adriamycin toxicity in mice

Pretreatment for four days with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) significantly lowered the acute toxicity in female C3H/HeNCrlBR mice given moderately lethal (15.0 and 20.0 mg/kg) i.p. doses of adriamycin as well as in male ICR/Hla mice given 12.5 mg/kg i.p. adriamycin. In both strains of mice, CoQ10 pretreatment did not protect the mice at higher i.p. adriamycin dose levels. When adriamycin was administered by the clinically-used i.v. route, CoQ10 pretreatment did not reduce acute toxicity at moderately lethal doses in either strain. At higher i.v. adriamycin dose levels, CoQ10 pretreatment significantly enhanced acute toxicity. CoQ10 pretreatment did not alter the antitumor effectiveness of adriamycin (i.p. or i.v.) against the Dunn osteosarcoma.