Formulation, characterization and pharmacokinetic studies of coenzyme Q10 PUFA's nanoemulsions

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) is an insoluble antioxidant molecule with great biological value but exhibit poor bioavailability. To improve the bioavailability of CoQ(10), we have proposed to formulate a nanoemulsion consisting of salmon oil, salmon lecithin, CoQ(10) and water. A commercial oily mixture, based on soybean oil and CoQ(10), was used for comparison, as well as a second oily mixture, composed of salmon lecithin, salmon oil and CoQ(10). Salmon oil and salmon lecithin were used as sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The maximum solubility of CoQ(10) in salmon oil was 81.30 +/- 0.08 mg/mL at 37 degrees C. Mean droplets size of the control and CoQ(10) nanoemulsions was 164 and 167 nm, respectively. The nanoemulsion was stable during 30 days at 25 degrees C. Bioavailability was evaluated as the area under the curve of CoQ(10) plasma concentration in male Wistar rats following oral administration of the three formulations of CoQ(10). The nanoemulsion increases at twice the bioavailability of CoQ(10) than conventional oily formulations regardless the nature of used fatty acids (soybean and salmon oils). Prepared nanoemulsion represents a vectorization of both LC-PUFAs and CoQ(10). That could be an interesting way to increase the absorption of these two bioactive molecules with natural low availability. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.