الوصف

Because of its ability to transfer electrons and therefore act as an antioxidant, Coenzyme Q has become a fashionable dietary supplement. Supplementation of Coenzyme Q*0 has been found to have a beneficial effect on the condition of some sufferers of migraines, and is a common component of the "mito cocktail" used to treat mitochondrial disorders and other metabolic disorders. It is also being investigated as a treatment for cancer, and as relief from cancer treatment side effects. Coenzyme Q*0 may act as an important antioxidant in the body and the brain. Some of these studies have indicated that Coenzyme Q*0 may protect the brain from neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinsons and also from the damaging side effects of a transient ischemic attack (stroke) in the brain. The isoprene sidechain of Coenzyme Q*0 is synthesized from acetyl CoA by a series of enzymatic reactions, while the benzoquinone portion is synthesized from amino acids. Coenzyme Q*0 shares a common biosynthetic pathway with cholesterol. Isopentenyl pyrophosphate and its isomer, dimethylallyl pyrophosphate, are linked alternatingly in polyprenyl chains, which are also called isoprenes. The **-carbon isoprene chain is farnesyl pyrophosphate, which is a precursor to cholesterol, while the **-carbon isoprene chain forms the sidechain of coenzyme Q*0. The synthesis of an intermediary precursor of Coenzyme Q*0, mevalonate, is inhibited by beta blockers, blood pressure lowering medication, and statins, a class of cholesterol lowering drugs. Statins can reduce serum levels of coenzyme Q*0 by up to *0%.