Effect of coenzyme Q10 on cutaneous healing in skin-incised mice

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a biosynthesized quinone with 10 isoprene side chains in humans. To investigate the anti-inflammatory and wound healing effect of CoQ10, we performed in vivo and in vitro experiments. In vivo studies, there were 3 groups; Naive (without skin incision), Control (with skin incision) and CoQ10 (100 mg/kg treatment with skin incision). Collagen-like polymer (CLP) level of CoQ10 group was increased significantly compared to the control group (p<0.05). Also, CoQ10 group showed significant inhibition on myeloperoxidase (MPO) and PLA₂ level compared to the control group (p<0.05). These data show that CoQ10 may have an anti-inflammatory and a wound healing effect. CoQ10 showed significant antioxidant activity in vivo on malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels compared to the control group (p<0.05). Although CoQ10 did not show antioxidant activity in cell free system of DPPH radical scavenge, it had a potent antioxidant activity in cell culture system of both silica- and zymosan-induced reactive oxygen species generation using Raw 264.7 cells. This result may be associated with the conversion of CoQ10 to the reduced form (CoQ10H₂) in the presence of some kinds of intracellular reducing agents. In conclusion, it is considered that CoQ10 appears to have a cutaneous healing effect in vivo, which may be related to the secondary action of CoQ10.