ubiquinol and Cardiovascular-Diseases

Mitochondria have long been known to play a critical role in maintaining the bioenergetic status of cells under physiological conditions. Mitochondria produce large amounts of free radicals, and mitochondrial oxidative damage can contribute to a range of degenerative conditions including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Although the molecular mechanisms responsible for mitochondrion-mediated disease processes are not correctly understood, oxidative stress seems to play an important role. Consequently, the selective inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative damage is an obvious therapeutic strategy. This review considers the process of CVD from a mitochondrial perspective and provides a summary of the following areas: reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and its role in pathophysiological processes such as CVD, currently available antioxidants and possible reasons for their efficacy and inefficacy in ameliorating oxidative stress-mediated diseases, and recent developments in mitochondria-targeted antioxidants that concentrate on the matrix-facing surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane. These mitochondrion-targeted antioxidants have been developed by conjugating the lipophilic triphenylphosphonium cation to antioxidant moieties such as ubiquinol. These compounds pass easily through biological membranes and, due to their positive charge, they accumulate several-hundred-fold within mitochondria. In this way they protect against mitochondrial oxidative damage and show potential as a future therapy for CVDs.

Topics: Antioxidants; Cardiovascular Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus; Endothelium, Vascular; Humans; Membrane Potentials; Mitochondria; Mitochondrial Diseases; Nitric Oxide; Organophosphorus Compounds; Oxidative Stress; Reactive Oxygen Species; Reperfusion Injury; Risk Factors; Ubiquinone

The manual workers of the gas-and-oil extraction industry are exposed to hostile environmental and occupational conditions, resulting in elevated mortality and disability, due to chronic neurological and cardiovascular diseases. We evaluated the degree of oxidative stress, often associated with these pathological features, in the blood of manual and office employees of Russian Siberian extraction plants, and their psycho-physiological conditions. Results showed increased levels of spontaneous (p < 0.05) and PMA-activated (p < 0.01) luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LDCL) in the white blood cells (WBC), and decreased peroxynitrite levels (p < 0.05) in the group of manual workers, and less markedly in the clerks and technicians working on spot, vs. a control group of city clerks. Superoxide release by WBC, and plasma/WBC membrane ubiquinol levels did not display major differences in the three groups. A relevant percentage of manual/office workers of extraction platforms presented impaired cardiovascular and neurological functions. The short term administration of a nutraceutical formulation based on coenzyme10, vitamin E, selenium, methionine and phospholipids led to significant improvement of cardiovascular parameters and psycho-emotional status, consistent with the normalization of LDCL and peroxynitrite production by WBC, with a good compliance to treatment confirmed by the increased blood levels of ubiquinol.

Topics: Adult; Cardiovascular Diseases; Coenzymes; Dietary Supplements; Emotions; Environment; Female; Humans; Industrial Oils; Leukocytes; Luminescent Measurements; Luminol; Male; Methionine; Middle Aged; Nervous System Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Oxidative Stress; Peroxynitrous Acid; Petroleum; Phospholipids; Russia; Selenium; Siberia; Superoxides; Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; Ubiquinone; Vitamin E