Coenzyme Q10 Insufficiency Contributes in Duration and Frequency of Seizures in Epileptic Patients

Purpose: Oxidative stress has recently emerged as a possible mechanism in pathogenesis of epilepsy. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a strong endogenous antioxidant that protects cells from lipid oxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, however, the impact of CoQ10 on seizure characteristics in epileptic patients is not clear. Methods: The current study enrolled patients with the epileptic seizure (ES) to evaluate the serum concentration of CoQ10 with the aim to investigate whether a relationship exists between CoQ10 levels with duration, frequency and type of seizure. Results: A total of 39 patients with epileptic seizure and 35 healthy controls were included in the study. The levels of CoQ10 in ES patients were significantly lower in comparison with healthy controls (11.99±5.93 vs. 16.48±4.20 P<0.001). We also found that the duration of epilepsy and seizure frequency was negatively correlated with serum CoQ10 levels. Conclusion: These findings indicate that CoQ10 deficiency might substantially contribute with the clinical signs of epileptic patients.