COENZYME Q(10) IN ESSENTIAL-HYPERTENSION

This study was undertaken to clarify the mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)). Twenty-six patients with essential arterial hypertension were treated with oral CoQ(10), 50 mg twice daily for 10 weeks. Plasma CoQ(10), serum total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and brood pressure were determined in all patients before and at the end of the 10-week period. At the end of the treatment, systolic blood pressure (SEP) decreased from 164.5 +/- 3.1 to 146.7 +/- 4.1 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) decreased from 98.1 +/- 1.7 to 86.1 +/- 1.3 mmHg (P < 0.001). Plasma CoQ(10) values increased from 0.64 +/- 0.1 mu g/ml to 1.61 +/- 0.3 mu g/ml (P < 0.02). Serum total cholesterol decreased from 222.9 +/- 13 mg/dl to 213.3 +/- 12 mg/dl (P < 0.005) and serum HDL cholesterol increased from 41.1 +/- 1.5 mg/dl to 43.1 +/- 1.5 mg/dl (P < 0.01). In a first group of 10 patients serum sodium and potassium, plasma clinostatic and orthostatic renin activity, urinary aldosterone, 24-hour sodium and potassium were determined before and at the end of the 10-week period. In five of these patients peripheral resistances were evaluated with radionuclide angiocardiography. Total peripheral resistances were 2,283 +/- 88 dyne . s . cm(-5) before treatment and 1,627 +/- 158 dyne . s . cm(-5) after treatment (P < 0.02). Plasma renin activity, serum and urinary sodium and potassium, and urinary aldosterone did not change. In a second group of 11 patients, plasma endothelin, electrocardiogram, two-dimensional echocardiogram and 24-hour automatic brood pressure monitoring were determined. Plasma endothelin, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings did not change after therapy. Mean 24-hour blood pressure recordings showed a statistically significant reduction of both SEP and DBP after therapy. SEP changed from 167 +/- 2.7 to 148.9 +/- 2.2 mmHg (P < 0.001) and DBP from 98.9 +/- 1.5 to 88.6 +/- 1.1 mmHg (P < 0.001). In eight of 26 patients group (30%) plasma baseline values of CoQ(10) were below normal and returned to normal or higher levels after therapy. This research confirms the antihypertensive effect of CoQ(10). The antihypertensive effect of the drug is probably, based on a diminution of peripheral resistances. CoQ(10)s slight effect on blood cholesterol is useful since hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for arterial hypertension.