Endogenous plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration does not correlate with plasma total antioxidant capacity level in healthy untrained horses.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential cofactor in the mitochondrial electron transport pathway, and is also the only known endogenously synthesized lipid-soluble antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to determine, for the first time, endogenous plasma CoQ10 concentration and its correlation with plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and serum total cholesterol (TC) in a population of healthy untrained horses. Thirty-one horses were included in the study. Plasma CoQ10 concentration ranged from 0.380 to 2.090 mg/L, which is in general agreement with plasma CoQ10 concentration in humans. The study demonstrated no significant correlation between plasma CoQ10 and TAC, which indicates that CoQ10 does not contribute to the TAC of equine plasma significantly. In contrast to humans, no significant correlation was found between CoQ10 and TC in investigated horses. The results warrant further studies on CoQ10 supplementation in healthy untrained horses and subsequent determination of correlations between CoQ10 and TAC.

Direct analysis of carbohydrates in animal plasma by ion chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and pulsed amperometric detection for use as a non-invasive diagnostic tool.

The present paper demonstrates that electrochemical detection (ECD) coupled to ion chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (IC-ECD-ESI/MS/MS) can be used to rapidly estimate some indications of the health status of organisms. The lactulose to mannitol ratio (L/M) is used as a non-invasive assay to investigate small intestinal absorption pathways and mucosal integrity. In the present study, an evaluation of the negative effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam perorally administrated to a group of dogs was carried out by determining the lactulose/mannitol index using the IC-ECD-ESI/MS/MS hyphenated technique. According to the results of the study, meloxicam altered gastrointestinal permeability. Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) was tested to determine if it could prevent meloxicam induced gastrointestinal damage and it was found that CoQ(10) could be an effective preventive treatment. Furthermore, plasma glucose concentration level was determined to be an indirect indicator of the oxidative state in the blood. To find out the beneficial effects of a double antioxidant combination (α-lipoic acid (ALA) and CoQ(10)) on the total glucose level in chickens, ALA and CoQ(10) were provided as food additives in factory farm raised chicken. The results of the pilot study indicate that the glucose level in the plasma of chickens group fed with CoQ(10) and ALA was significantly decreased compared to the control group. Ion chromatography (IC) utilizing pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) was compared to ion chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) as an analytical tool for monitoring the carbohydrate level in biological fluids. In electrochemical detection, the newly developed two-pulse waveform successfully withstands matrix effects in biological samples. Continuous on-line desalting of the high salt concentrations used as the eluent for carbohydrate separation from the anion-exchange column allows coupling of IC and MS techniques. A make-up solution (0.5mM LiCl) was delivered prior to MS detection for efficient ionization of eluted carbohydrates. Method validation showed that both used techniques are practically comparable and some advantages of each are presented.

Overview of the development and application of the hyphenated techniques in nutritional analysis.

The development of some sensitive assays for quantitative nutritional analysis with an emphasis on selected hyphenated analytical techniques is reviewed in the present paper. The majority of work is dedicated to reviewing the development of analytical tools for routine analysis of carbohydrates and lipids in biological samples, many of them introduced in our laboratory. Handling biological matrices, where endogenous compounds can mask the analyte of interest or where the occurrence of the coelution effect of several compounds present in different amounts hinders the analyte's peak integration, is a major challenge. To overcome this challenge, hyphenated techniques have become widespread in laboratory practice. Some of these techniques are reviewed, with special attention given to an effective on-line interface for thin-layer chromatography-mass spectrometry and on-line coupling thin-layer chromatography-gas chromatography. Recently introduced an on-line coupling of ion chromatograph and hybrid RF/DC quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer represent an analytical tool for the solution of bioanalytical problems. Developed methods using ion chromatography-pulsed amperometric detection and ion chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques for the quantitative evaluation of sugars are presented. This paper represents basic contributions of our research work connected with some of modern hyphenated techniques. However, this review is restricted to the published papers to be significant developments or improvements during the last three decades.

Effect of Complexation Cyclodextrins with Phenolic Acids and Coenzyme Q10 on their Physico-Chemical Properties and Bioavailability.

This article deals with the oxidation problems of food caused by atmospheric oxygen. Two approaches to overcome these problems are involved: (i) by reducing the double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids in lipids, the so-called hydrogenation; and (ii) by introduction of some antioxidants, modified by cyclodextrins, in order to protect food against the oxidation processes. In the area of hydrogenation, an alternative method of hydrogenation was presented, catalytic transfer hydrogenation of edible oils, using sodium formate as a hydrogen donor. This method is fast, simple, safe, economical and offers good selectivity and therefore good oxidative stability of the product. In the area of inclusion between phenolic acids and coenzyme Q10 with cyclodextrins, increased stability, solubility and antioxidative activities of included compounds were achieved. Complex of coenzyme Q10 with ß-cyclodextrin shows superior bioavailability over formulations based on lipid soluble coenzyme Q10.

Mass spectrometric investigations of alpha- and beta-cyclodextrin complexes with ortho-, meta- and para-coumaric acids by negative mode electrospray ionization.

The mass spectrometric characterization of aqueous solutions of alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins (CDs) and o-, m- and p-coumaric acids (CAs) by negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) indicates that the [CD+CA](-) ions were sourced from the inclusion complex present in solution and from the anion attached to CD molecules formed in the spray processes. The anion adducts formed in the spray process contribute significantly to the signal intensity of an ionized inclusion complex thus overestimating the calculated stability constant (K) of solution-phase complexes by one to two orders of magnitude. The relative intensities of anion adducts in mass spectra depend on the concentration ratio of the anion and the CD in spray droplets, while the relative intensity of the ionized inclusion complex depends on CD and CA concentrations in solutions and the value of K. Ion Mobility Spectrometry Mass Spectrometry [IMS-MS] measurements show that the collision cross-section (Omega) values of the [CD+CA](-) or [(CD)(2+)CA](2-) and [CD+CA](2) (2-) complex ions are 5-6% larger than or equal to CD(-) or [CD](2) (2-), respectively. Therefore, in the gas phase the anion adducts [CD+CA(-)] on cyclodextrin molecules possess the same conformations as the ionized inclusion complexes [CD+CA](-).

Relative bioavailability of two forms of a novel water-soluble coenzyme Q10.

BACKGROUND: Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a naturally occurring compound that plays a fundamental role in cellular bioenergetics and is an effective antioxidant. Numerous health benefits of CoQ10 supplementation have been reported, resulting in growing demands for its use in fortifying food. Due to its insolubility in water, the enrichment of most food products is not easily achievable and its in vivo bioavailability is known to be poor. Water solubility was increased significantly with the use of an inclusion complex with beta-cyclodextrin. This complex is widely used as Q10Vital in the food industry, while its in vivo absorption in humans has not previously been studied. METHODS: A randomized three-period crossover clinical trial was therefore performed in which a single dose of CoQ10 was administered orally to healthy human subjects. The pharmacokinetic parameters of two forms of the novel CoQ10 material were determined and compared to soft-gel capsules with CoQ10 in soybean oil that acted as a reference. RESULTS: The mean increase of CoQ10 plasma concentrations after dosing with Q10Vital forms was determined to be over the reference formulation and the area under the curve values, extrapolated to infinity (AUC(inf)), were also higher with the tested forms; statistically significant 120 and 79% increases over the reference were calculated for the Q10Vital liquid and powder, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that the absorption and bioavailability of CoQ10 in the novel formulations are significantly increased, probably due to the enhanced water solubility.

Bioavailability of water-soluble CoQ10 in beagle dogs.

The bioavailability of a novel water-soluble inclusion complex of CoQ10, prepared in our laboratory was determined and compared with the bioavailability of commercially available oil-based form of CoQ10. Experimental work consisted of single dose comparative bioavailability study on seven beagle dogs, with a 14-day washout period between treatments. Identification and quantification of CoQ10 was done with HPLC-MS method using positive APCI ionization and SIM mode, M+ m/z 863.4. The bioavailability results confirm that the water-soluble formulation has nearly three times higher AUC(0-48 h), two times higher Cmax, and Tmax is shortened from 6 to 4 h.