Marked reduction in CSF lactate and pyruvate levels after CoQ therapy in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS).

Many CoQ trials for mitochondrial encephalomyopathy are reported, however, the action of CoQ in the central nervous system is unknown. We administered CoQ to a patient with MELAS, and decreasing CSF lactate and pyruvate levels were revealed. This reduction in CSF lactate and pyruvate may be evidence that CoQ acts directly on the CNS. There have been no other descriptions of evidence of CoQ effective action in the central nervous system, a finding unique to this report.