CoQ10 Has Little Effect on Parkinsons Progression

DRESDEN, GermanyAdministration of small doses of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) increased plasma levels of the compound in older adults with midstage Parkinsons disease (PD); however, it did not appear to slow disease progression, according to a new study in the Archives of Neurology (ePub May 14, 2007; DOI:10.1001/archneur.64.7.nct60005). The study, conducted by the German Coenzyme Q10 Study Group coordinated out of the Technical University of Dresden, was set in several German movement disorder clinics. For three months, 131 patients with mid-stage PD without motor fluctuations and on stable anti- Parkinson treatment were randomized to receive either a placebo or nanoparticular CoQ10 (100 mg three times daily). Patients were evaluated by the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) at baseline and once a month. Researchers used the intent-to-treat principle in analyzing the data; 106 subjects completed the study (55 in the CoQ10 group and 51 on placebo). At studys end, the mean changes of the sum UPDRS parts II/III score were -3.69 for the placebo group and -3.33 for the CoQ10 group, which were not statistically significantly different. CoQ10 treatment was considered to be safe and well-tolerated, and increased plasma levels of the compound similar to 1,200 mg/d of standard CoQ10 formulations.