Protective Effects of Coenzyme Q10 Against Cyclophosphamide Induced Ovarian Damage in Rats

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) against cyclophosphamide (CP)- induced ovarian injury in rats by assessing biochemical, genetic, and histopathological parameters. Thirty-five female Wistar rats were randomly assigned into five groups: control, sham, CP, CoQ10, and CP + coQ10. CP (6 mg/kg/day) and CoQ10 (2.8 mg/kg/day) were administered orally for four weeks. Antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were analyzed in ovarian tissue. Furthermore, expression of apoptotic genes (caspase-3, -8, and - 9) was evaluated using by RT-qPCR. Histopathological changes were also examined microscopically. CAT and SOD levels were significantly increased in the CoQ10 and CP + CoQ10 groups (p < 0.001), indicating an enhanced antioxidant response, whereas GPx activity and caspase gene expressions showed no statistically significant differences between groups. Histopathological examination revealed marked structural damage in the CP group, which was less pronounced following CoQ10 treatment. These findings indicate that CoQ10 partially attenuates CP-induced oxidative and histological alterations, though its effects at the gene-expression level remain limited. CoQ10 may represent a supportive therapeutic approach for mitigating chemotherapy-related ovarian toxicity, but further research is required to confirm its long-term impact on fertility outcomes.