Planta Med 2014; 80 - P1N14
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394604

Determination of ubiquinone Q10 (coenzyme Q10) in edible Azorean macroalgae

L Paiva 1, 3, 4, 5, E Lima 1, 2, 3, AI Neto 3, 4, 5, J Baptista 1, 2, 3
  • 1Departamento de Ciências Tecnológicas e Desenvolvimento (DCTD), Universidade dos Açores, 9501 – 801 Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel, Açores, Portugal
  • 2Centro de Investigação em Tecnologias Agrárias dos Açores (CITA-A), Universidade dos Açores, 9700 – 071 Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Açores, Portugal
  • 3Centro de Investigação de Recursos Naturais (CIRN), Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9501 – 801 Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel, Açores, Portugal
  • 4Grupo Biologia Marinha, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade dos Açores, 9501 – 801 Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel, Açores, Portugal
  • 5Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIIMAR/CIMAR), Universidade do Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, 4050 – 123 Porto, Portugal

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a lipid soluble compound found in virtually all cells of human body [1] that has many positive effects: strengthens the heart muscle, raises work capacity, strengthens the immune system, prolongs life and acts as an antioxidant. It functions as the energy generator in the body's cells to drive the fuel that energizes our body and plays an important role as an essential electron carrier in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. According to Ernester and Dallnrt [2], CoQ10, mainly the reduced form, can protect the cellular membranes and plasma lipoproteins from the free radical-induced. With age, the amount of CoQ10 in our cells decreases and with most people over 35 – 40 there is a deficit. The symptoms of low CoQ10 are lack of energy, lack of desire for physical effort and overall lowered the total vitality. The heart is the first organ feeling the lack of CoQ10 and is the first to better its function after adding CoQ10 to the diet. The objective of our study was the determination of CoQ10 in edible Azorean Macroalgae (EAM). The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was used for the determination of CoQ10 in EAM on a reverse-phase C18 column using a mobile phase of methanol:isopropanol:ethanol:water (68.2:15.0:15.0:1.2, v/v/v/v). The flow rate was 0.7 mL/min and detection by UV at 275nm. The results (Table 1) shows the CoQ10 values of 2.12 ± 0.11 µg, 3.89 ± 0.21 µg, 1.54 ± 0.08 µg and 1.62 ± 0.99 µg per g of dry weight for Fucus spirais, Porphyra sp., Ulva rigida and Osmundea pinnatifida, respectively. In conclusion, the regular consumption of EAM allied with the low level of coastal water bodies pollution around the Azores Islands [3] will improve human health conditions, particularly the Porphyra sp. that presents a higher CoQ10 content.

Tab. 1: Content of coenzyme Q10 in macroalgae and comparison with common foods.

Macroalgae/Foods

Q10(µg/g)

Focus spiralis

2.12 ± 0.21

Osmundea pinnatifida

1.62 ± 0.31

Porphyra sp.

3.89 ± 0.12

Ulva rigida

1.54 ± 0.19

Egg*

1.2

Cauliflower*

2.7

Potato*

0.5

Tomato*

0.9

Carrot*

1.7

Yogurt*

2.4

Cheese*

1.3

Cow milk*

0.1

Values are expressed as mean ± SD (n = 3).

*Values for foods from Mattila and Kumpulainen [4].

Keywords: macroalgae, coenzyme Q10, HPLC, human health

References:

[1] Battino, M. et al. (1990) Membr Biochem 9:179 – 190.

[2] Ernster, L., Dallner, G. (1995) Biochim Biophys Acta 1271:195 – 204.

[3] Neto, A.I. et al. Qualidade de águas costeiras do Grupo Oriental do arquipélago dos Açores e proposta de monitorização. Departamento de Biologia: Universidade dos Açores; 2009.

[4] Mattila, P., Kumpulainen, J. (2001)J Food Compos Anal 14:409 – 417.