Introduction: Although depression is the predominant phase in Bipolar disorder (BPD) and causes the most psychosocial disability, optimal pharmacotherapy of bipolar depression is not known yet. Advances in research on BPD neurobiology have demonstrated that oxidative toxic stress (OTS) may be involved in the pathophysiology of BPD. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of adjuvant CoQ10, supplement with potent antioxidant properties, on salivary and urinary OTS biomarkers in patients with BPD during depressive episode.
Methods: 89 BPD patients with current depressive episode by block randomization method allocated into either CoQ10 (200 mg/day) or placebo group for 8 weeks. The salivary and urinary levels of OTS biomarkers including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and DNA damage were measured at baseline and 8 weeks after treatment.
Results: At baseline, urinary and salivary levels of TAC and DNA damage were statistically comparable between two groups. After 8 weeks treatment, supplementation with CoQ10 caused significantly higher increment in urinary TAC level compared to placebo, while salivary level of TAC did not display significant differences. Although, comparing two groups regarding changes in salivary and urinary DNA damage levels was greater in CoQ10 group but its changes reached significant level only in urine sample.
Conclusion: Taken together, oral supplementation with CoQ10 for 8 weeks as add-on therapy to standard treatment resulted in a significant improvement in OTS status in BPD patients during depressive episode. These findings suggest that CoQ10 via its antioxidant effects may be a promising agent in treating bipolar depression.
Keywords: Bipolar disorder, co-enzyme Q10, oxidative stress, total antioxidant capacity, DNA damage, inflammat