Coenzyme Q10 supplementation improves ethynil estradiol-induced cholestasis in rats

MARTINEFSKI M; RODRIGUEZ, M; LUCANGIOLI S.; BIANCIOTTI, L; TRIPODI V

Bolonia

Conferencia; The Eighth Conference of The International Coenzyme Q10 Association.; 2015

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a high risk liver disease given the eventual deleterious consequences that may occur in the fetous. ICP is characterized by the accumulation of bile acids, particularly hydrophobic bile acids such as litocholic acid (LCA), which induces oxidative stress and apoptosis. We previously reported that women with IPC show in plasma decreased coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and enhanced bile acids. These findings were also observed in ethynil estradiol (EE)-induced cholestasis in rats. Furthermore, cholestatic rats also showed decreased CoQ10 content in diverse organs including the liver. Here, we evaluated the effect of CoQ10 supplementation in EE-induced cholestasis in rats. Cholestasis was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by a daily intraperitoneal injection of 5 mg/kg EE for 5 days (EE). A group of these rats also received daily oral 250 mg/kg CoQ10 supplementation for 5 days (EE+CoQ10). Another group of rats received only CoQ10 supplementation for the same period of time (CoQ10). Serum, bile acids (total and LCA), coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9) and CoQ10 were assessed. Bile flow was also measured. No differences were observed between CoQ10 and control groups except for an increase in plasma CoQ10 (p