Ubiquinol (Molecule of the Month for January 2021)
Coenzyme Q10
Ubiquinol is an electron-rich (reduced) form of coenzyme Q10. The natural ubiquinol form of coenzyme Q10 is 2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-poly prenyl-1,4-benzoquinol, where the polyprenylated side-chain is 9-10 units long in mammals. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) exists in three redox states, fully oxidized (ubiquinone), partially reduced (semiquinone or ubisemiquinone), and fully reduced (ubiquinol). The redox functions of ubiquinol in cellular energy production and antioxidant protection are based on the ability to exchange two electrons in a redox cycle between ubiquinol (reduced) and the ubiquinone (oxidized) form
In foods, there are varying amounts of ubiquinol. An analysis of a range of foods found ubiquinol to be present in 66 out of 70 items and accounted for 46% of the total coenzyme Q10 intake (in the Japanese diet). The following chart is a sample of the results
Because humans can synthesize ubiquinol, it is not classed as a vitamin.
Formal Chemical Name (IUPAC)
2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-6-((2E,6E,10E,14E,18E,22E,26E)-3,7,11,15,19,23,27,31-octamethyldotriaconta-2,6,10,14,18,22,26,30-octaen-1-yl)benzene-1,4-diol
References
click on the picture of Ubiquinol above to interact
with the 3D model of the
Ubiquinol structure
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C49 H76 O4
Update by Karl Harrison
(Molecule of the Month for
January 2021
)
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