The antioxidant compound Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) – sometimes used to reduce oxidative damage from disease-causing free radicals in the body – has been found to slow the progression of Huntington's disease, according a new study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers.
The discovery, reported in the Journal of Huntington's Disease, also points the way for a new biomarker that could be used to help doctors determine the effectiveness of treatments for Huntington’s and other neurological disorders.
"This study supports the hypothesis that [CoQ10] exerts antioxidant effects in patients with Huntington's disease and therefore is a treatment that warrants further study," said lead researcher Dr. Kevin M. Biglan. "As importantly, it has provided us with a new method to evaluate the efficacy of potential new treatments."
Huntington's is a genetic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impacts movement, behavior, mental functions and typically results in death within 20 years of diagnosis. Scientists believe the disease may be triggered by genetic factors that produce abnormal protein deposits in brain cells that interfere with their functioning and result in oxidative stress and death.
Researchers have found CoQ10 boosts energy production in cells and that can counter oxidative stress seen in Huntington’s. The study was based on an analysis of the effects of CoQ10 on the brain cells of 20 Huntington’s patients.
"Identifying treatments that slow the progression or delay the onset of Huntington's disease is a major focus of the medical community," said Biglan. "This study demonstrates that [CoQ10 could help] identify the presence oxidative injury and whether or not treatment is having an impact."
The study was funded, in part, by the National Institutes of Health.