Coenzyme Q10; Importance, Effective Sources and Improving its Bioavailability

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a lipid-soluble endogenous pro-vitamin found naturally in the mitochondria, is present in many organisms. It has crucial roles in many biochemical pathways and important health functions. It has an essential role as a vital intermediate of the electron transport system in mitochondria. CoQ10, as an electron and proton carrier for energy coupling leads to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) formation. CoQ10 also acts as a potent antioxidant and scavenger of reactive oxygen species and is involved in multiple aspects of cellular metabolism. Furthermore, in medicine, the pharmacological use of CoQ10 has received increasing attention following the reports of its benefits in treating cardiovascular and degenerative neurologic diseases. CoQ10 is a hydrophobic compound with a molecular weight of 863 Da. The long isoprenoid side chain is responsible for its water insolubility. Because of its hydrophobicity, its bioavailability is low and application of CoQ10 in aqueous foods and drugs is limited. Various approaches such as emulsion and nanoemulsion formulations have been developed to improve its water solubility. CoQ10 is found in plants such as soya bean, peanut, palm oil and litchi pericarp and in animals such as pelagic fish, beef and pork hearts. Various analytical methods have been published for the extraction and analysis of CoQ10 from different matrices. The most common methods for extracting CoQ10 from different samples are liquid–liquid or ultrasound extraction. CoQ10 also can be produced by chemical synthesis and microbial fermentation. Microbial production offers an environmentally benign option based on the enzymatic catalysis at the cellular level for CoQ10 assembly. Moreover, this approach is attractive to the industry because the process is easy to control at a relatively low production cost. This review provides an overview of CoQ10 importance, health benefits and its effective sources. Improving of CoQ10 bioavailability are also discussed and future growth prospects and recommendations are also given for areas of future research.