Members of the
coenzyme Q group increase the phagocytic activity in rats, as measured by the
carbon clearance technique, and increase the hemolytic antibody formation in mice. In addition, prior treatment with low doses of
chloroquine hydrochloride combined with
coenzyme Q(10) results in increased numbers of survivors, prolonged survival time, and reduced
parasitemia in blood-transferred Plasmodium berghei
infection in miceIn an extension of these studies, using
emulsions of
coenzyme Q(10), I demonstrated the following effects on two
tumor systems in mice: (i) Treatment with
coenzyme Q(10) decreased
splenomegaly and
hepatomegaly and increased the number of surviving mice infected with Friend
leukemia virus. (ii) Treatment with
coenzyme Q(10) reduced the percentage of mice with
tumors, increased the number of survivors, and reduced the
tumor size in mice with
tumors induced by 3,4,9,10-dibenzpyrene. The effect on both
tumor systems was dose-dependent. These studies support the hypothesis that the host defense system plays a definitive role in the defense of the host against invasion by various agents, including
neoplasia.