ISSN 2326-7267
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology ISSN: 2326-7267 Vol. 3 (11), pp. 001-005, November, 2012. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Effect of lead toxicity on coenzyme Q levels in rat tissues
Gamil M. Abdallah1, El-Sayed M. El-Sayed2* and Osama M. Abo-Salem2
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
2Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
Accepted 16 September, 2012
Abstract
Lead is a persistent and common environmental contaminant, which chiefly plays a significant role in modern industry. Coenzyme Q acts as electron and proton carrier in mitochondria and functions as an antioxidant in its reduced form (ubiquinol) . To investigate the hazardous effects of lead on the coenzyme Q level, rats were injected i.p. with lead acetate (5 mg/kg b.wt. daily for 6 weeks). Our results showed that the levels of both oxidized (ubiquinone) and reduced (ubiquinol) forms of coenzyme Q9 and Q10 in serum, brain, liver and kidney of lead-treated rats are quite different depending on the organ tissue type.
Keywords: Lead, coenzyme Q, antioxidants.