A new Coenzyme Q10 tablet-grade formulation (all-Q) is bioequivalent to Q-Gel and both have better bioavailability properties than Q-SorB

• Published in: Journal of medicinal food Vol. 8; no. 3; p. 397
• Main Authors: Ullmann, U, Metzner, J, Schulz, C, Perkins, J, Leuenberger, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.09.2005
• Subjects: Adult; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - pharmacokinetics; Biological Availability; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Coenzymes; Cross-Over Studies; Gels; Humans; Kinetics; Male; Particle Size; Tablets; Therapeutic Equivalency; Ubiquinone - administration & dosage; Ubiquinone - analogs & derivatives; Ubiquinone - blood; Ubiquinone - pharmacokinetics
• ISSN: 1096-620X
• DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2005.8.397

Commercial Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, ubiquinone) formulations are often of poor intestinal absorption. We investigated the bioavailability of DSM Nutritional Products Ltd. (Kaiseraugst, Switzerland) CoQ10 10% TG/P (all-Q), a new tablet-grade formulation, with CoQ10 Q-Gel Softsules based on the Bio-Solv technology (Tishcon Corp., Salisbury, MD; marketed by Epic4Health, Smithtown, NY) and Q-SorB (Nature's Bounty, Bohemia, NY). Twelve healthy male subjects participated in a randomized, three-period crossover bioequivalence study. Plasma CoQ10 was determined from pre-dose until +36 hours. To compare bioavailability, corrected maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve from 0 to +14 hours [AUC(0-14 h)] were assessed and tested for bioequivalence. The bioequivalence ranges of 0.8-1.25 hour x microg/mL for AUC(0-14 h) and 0.75-1.33 microg/mL for Cmax were applied. In summary, the kinetic profiles of all CoQ10 preparations revealed a one-peak plasma concentration-time course. Highest Cmax values were seen after Q-Gel application, whereas time to Cmax was nearly identical across all treatments. The AUC(0-14 h) values were highest for Q-Gel, narrowly followed by all-Q. The tests for bioequivalence showed a bioequivalence between Q-Gel and all-Q, and both preparations were found to have better bioavailability properties than Q-SorB. Although all-Q and Q-Gel have equivalent bioavailability properties, all-Q can be directly used in tablets, while this is not the case for Q-Gel or other similar forms.