Effects of coenzyme Q10 on lung preservation: a study with an isolated rat lung reperfusion model.

We studied the effect of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on lung preservation using an isolated rat lung reperfusion model. After the lung of a Wistar male rat was flushed with a solution consisting of 40 mM phosphate buffered saline, the heart-lung block was excised and immersed in the same solution at 10 degrees C for 6 hours. In experiment 1, CoQ10 was added to the flushing solution. In experiment 2, CoQ10 was injected i.v. 1 hour before the organ was harvested. After the preservation, both lungs were reperfused and ventilated for 30 minutes. No benefit was noted when CoQ10 was added to the flushing solution. However, when CoQ10 was pretreated one hour before harvesting, the lungs showed significantly better preservation in pulmonary artery pressure, airway pressure, gas exchange function and the wet/dry weight ratio than those of the control group. Thus, appropriate pretreatment of CoQ10 may have a beneficial effect on lung preservation.