Pharmacokinetics of Coenzyme Q¹⁰ in Recovery of Acute Sensorineural Hearing Loss due to Hypoxia

Abstract

Coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) has already been favorably evaluated in the clinical treatment of heart disease. In the otolaryngological field, it has been reported that CoQ₁₀ is effective in promoting recovery from acute sudden deafness. However, the pharmakinetics of CoQ₁₀ in the inner ear is not yet clarified. The present study focuses upon the pharmacokinetics of CoQ₁₀ using guinea pigs with acute sensorineural hearing loss artificially induced by hypoxia conditions. The respiration of the animals was controlled in an artificial respirator while the ABR, ECG and blood pressure were monitored. Repeated hypoxia caused a gradual disappearance of the ABR. After the experiments, the animals were sacrificed and brain and inner ear were examined by histological and histochemical methods as well as by SEM and TEM. The results indicated that CoQ₁₀ is effective in promoting recovery from damage in auditory hairs as well as preventing respiratory metabolic impairment of hair cell due to hypoxia.

Key Words:

• coenzyme Q₁₀
• acute sensorineural hearing loss
• hypoxia
• ABR
• hair cell