Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on the Levels of some Trace Elements in Serum of Rats with Bleomycin Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an antioxidant and an electron carrier in the mitochondrial matrix. The aim of this study was to study the protective effect of CoQ10 on the levels of Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn in serum with bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Thirty Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups: bleomycin alone, bleomycin + CoQ10, and physiological saline alone (control group). The bleomycin group was given 7.5 mg/kg body weight (single dose) bleomycin hydrochloride intratracheally. The bleomycin + CoQ10 group was also instilled with bleomycin hydrochloride but received administrations of CoQ10 twice a week. The control group was treated with physiological saline alone. Animals were euthanized 14 d after intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn were measured in the serum of rats. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to measure the Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn levels. Our data may suggest that bleomycin impairs the equilibrium of Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn which are important in the antioxidant system and CoQ10 tends to rechange the imbalance of some trace elements in pulmonary fibrosis.