Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to determine the potential additive effects of Coenzyme Q10 and L-Carnitine on neuroinflammation in a rat model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), based on histological and biochemical parameters.
Methods: This Experimental study was conducted at Islamic International Medical College in collaboration with NIH from March 2023 to June 2023. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups of ten rats each. Group 1 served as a negative control. The remaining groups were disease models, administered 0.2% cuprizone w/w to induce MS. After 4 weeks, Group 3 received 100 mg/kg/day L-carnitine, Group 4 received 150 mg/kg/day CoQ10, and Group 5 received both, while cuprizone administration continued. The experiment lasted for 12 weeks, after which the rats were sacrificed, and their brains were dissected. Coronal sections were stained with H & E to evaluate inflammatory infiltrates. IL-6 and TNF-α levels in the neuronal tissue were measured using ELISA kits.
Results: The combined treatment group showed a significant reduction in inflammatory infiltrates compared to the CPZ group (p ≤ 0.001). Better control of the reduction in IL-6 and TNF-α levels was observed in the combination group than in the single-agent group (p ≤ 0.05).
Conclusion: The study concluded that CoQ10 and L-carnitine have a potential additive effect in controlling neuroinflammation, as evidenced by fewer inflammatory infiltrates and reduced levels of IL-6 and TNF-α.
Keywords: Coenzyme Q10, L-Carnitine, Inflammatory Infiltrate, Neuroinflammation.
References
Rodríguez Murúa S, Farez MF, Quintana FJ. The immune response in multiple sclerosis. Annu Rev Pathol Mech Dis. 2022;17(1):121–39.https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-pathol-052920-040318.
Ali S, Qureshi T. Synergistic effects of Coenzyme Q10 & L-Carnitine on peripheral remyelination in rat model of Multiple Sclerosis. Rawal Med J. 2025;50(1):34. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.547
Qian Z, Li Y, Guan Z, Guo P, Zheng K, Du Y, et al. Global, regional, and national burden of multiple sclerosis from 1990 to 2019: Findings of the Global Burden of disease study 2019. Front Public Heal. 2023;11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1073278.
Qureshi T, Ali S, Fahad T. Synergistic Effect of Coenzyme Q10 and L-Carnitine on Gliosis and Anhedonia, in a Rat Model of Multiple Sclerosis : An Immunohistochemical Study. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2024;22(3):484–492. https://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.23.1150.
Tobore TO. Towards a comprehensive etiopathogenetic and pathophysiological theory of multiple sclerosis. Int J Neurosci. 2020;130(3):279–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207454.2019.1677648.
Zhan J, Mann T, Joost S, Behrangi N, Frank M, Kipp M. The cuprizone model: Dos and do nots. Cells. 2020;9(4):843. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells9040843.
Vezzoli A, Mrakic-Sposta S, Dellanoce C, Montorsi M, Vietti D, Ferrero ME. Chelation therapy associated with antioxidant supplementation can decrease oxidative stress and inflammation in multiple sclerosis: Preliminary results. Antioxidants. 2023;12(7):1338. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12071338
Avşar T, Erdem G, Terzioğlu G, Turanli ET. Investigation of neuro-inflammatory parameters in a cuprizone induced mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Turk J Biol. 2021;45(5):644–655. https://doi.org/10.3906/biy-2104-88.
Willis EF, MacDonald KPA, Nguyen QH, Garrido AL, Gillespie ER, Harley SBR, et al. Repopulating microglia promote brain repair in an IL-6-dependent manner. Cell. 2020;180(5):833–846.e16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.013.
Al-Shammari AH, Abbood ZA, Lateef HF. Assessing the impacts of L-carnitine and modafinil on fatigue in Iraqi multiple sclerosis patients. J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2023;14(3):226–228. https://doi.org/10.4103/JAPTR.JAPTR_225_23.
Kepka A, Ochocinska A, Borzym-Kluczyk M, Skorupa E, Stasiewicz-Jarocka B, Chojnowska S, et al. Preventive role of L-carnitine and balanced diet in Alzheimer’s disease. Nutrients. 2020;12(7):1987. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12071987.
Pennisi M, Lanza G, Cantone M, D’Amico E, Fisicaro F, Puglisi V, et al. Acetyl-L-carnitine in dementia and other cognitive disorders: A critical update. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1389. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12051389
Khalilian B, Madadi S, Fattahi N, Abouhamzeh B. Coenzyme Q10 enhances remyelination and regulate inflammation effects of cuprizone in corpus callosum of chronic model of multiple sclerosis. J Mol Histol [Internet]. 2021;52(1):125–34. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-020-09929-x
Pradhan N, Singh C, Singh A. Coenzyme Q10, a mitochondrial restorer for various brain disorders. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2021;394(11):2197–2222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-021-02161-8. .
Yang M, Lian N, Yang YU, Wang Y, Keliang XIE, Yonghao YU. Coenzyme Q10 alleviates sevoflurane‑induced neuroinflammation by regulating the levels of apolipoprotein E and phosphorylated tau protein in mouse hippocampal neurons. Mol Med Rep. 2020;22(1):445–53. https://doi.org/ 10.3892/mmr.2020.11131
du Sert NP, Hurst V, Ahluwalia A, Alam S, Avey MT, Baker M, et al. The arrive guidelines 2.0: Updated guidelines for reporting animal research. PLoS Biol. 2020;18(7).https://doi.org/ 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000410
Zedan OI, Bashandy MA. Comparing effects of L-carnitine and sildenafil citrate on histopathologic recovery from sciatic nerve crush injury in female albino rats. 2021; https://doi.org/ 10.5603/FM.a2021.0037. Epub 2021 Apr 26.
Mescher AL. Histology and its methods of study. In: Junqueira’s basic histology: text and atlas. 14th ed. McGraw-Hill Medical 13th ed. New York; 2016. p. 1–15.
Karanth P, Manjunath MK, Roshni, Kuriakose ES. Reaction of rat subcutaneous tissue to mineral trioxide aggregate and Portland cement: A secondary level biocompatibility test. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2013;31(2):74–81. https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-4388.115698.
Chen J, Shi Z, Chen Y, Xiong K, Wang Y, Zhang H. A CoQ10 analog ameliorates cognitive impairment and early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage by regulating ferroptosis and neuroinflammation. Redox Biol. 2025;84:103684. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2025.103684.
Attia H, Albuhayri S, Alaraidh S, Alotaibi A, Yacoub H, Mohamad R, et al. Biotin, coenzyme Q10, and their combination ameliorate aluminium chloride-induced Alzheimer’s disease via attenuating neuroinflammation and improving brain insulin signaling. J Biochem Mol Toxicol. 2020;34(9):e22519. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbt.22519.
Faverzani JL, Guerreiro G, Lopes FF, Sitta A, Coelho DM, Mescka CP, et al. L-carnitine protects against oxidative damage and neuroinflammation in cerebral cortex of rats submitted to chronic chemically-induced model of hyperphenylalaninemia. Metab Brain Dis. 2025;40(1):108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-025-01537-6.
Hazzaa SM, Abdou AG, Ibraheim EO, Salem EA, Hassan MHA, Abdel-Razek HAD. Effect of L-carnitine and atorvastatin on a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion injury of spinal cord. J Immunoassay Immunochem. 2021;42(6):596–619. https://doi.org/10.1080/15321819.2021.1914085.
Emran T, Chowdhury NI, Sarker M, Bepari AK, Hossain M, Rahman GMS, et al. L-carnitine protects cardiac damage by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory response via inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta against isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021;143:112139.
Salama A, Elgohary R. L-carnitine and Co Q10 ameliorate potassium dichromate-induced acute brain injury in rats targeting AMPK/AKT/NF-κβ. Int Immunopharmacol. 2021;101:107867.
Alhusaini A, Sarawi W, Mattar D, Abo-Hamad A, Almogren R, Alhumaidan S, et al. Acetyl-L-carnitine and/or liposomal co-enzyme Q10 prevent propionic acid-induced neurotoxicity by modulating oxidative tissue injury, inflammation, and ALDH1A1-RA-RARα signaling in rats. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2022 Sep 1;153:113360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113360

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tayyaba Qureshi, Shabana Ali, Saima Nazir, Mohtasham Hina, Sara Bano, Tayyaba Fahad

