New analytical strategies applied to the determination of coenzyme Q10 in biological matrix

Abstract

In the last few years the importance of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) determination has gained clinical relevance. CoQ10 is a redox-active, lipophilic substance integrated in the mitochondrial respiratory chain which acts as an electron carrier for the production of cellular energy. In addition, it is recognized as a primary regenerating antioxidant playing an intrinsic role against oxidative damage. There are some reports of low CoQ10 levels in a number of disorders, such as cancer, muscular, neurodegenerative, cardiological, and reproductive diseases. Therefore, it is a priority to develop analytical methodologies for evaluating CoQ10 in matrices of greater importance for the correct diagnosis of diseases, simple enough to be used in routine clinical laboratories. In this chapter two recently developed techniques, capillary electrophoresis and microHPLC, for the analysis of CoQ10 in biological matrices, are studied.