Lipid-lowering drugs and mitochondrial function: effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on serum ubiquinone and blood lactate/pyruvate ratio

  1. G. DE PINIEUX1,
  2. P. CHARIOT1,2,
  3. M. AMMI-SAÏD3,
  4. F. LOUARN5,
  5. J. L. LEJONC4,
  6. A. ASTIER2,
  7. B. JACOTOT4,
  8. R. GHERARDI1

Article first published online: 2 OCT 2003

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.1996.04178.x

Issue

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Volume 42, Issue 3, pages 333–337, September 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

DE PINIEUX, G., CHARIOT, P., AMMI-SAÏD, M., LOUARN, F., LEJONC, J. L., ASTIER, A., JACOTOT, B. and GHERARDI, R. (1996), Lipid-lowering drugs and mitochondrial function: effects of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors on serum ubiquinone and blood lactate/pyruvate ratio. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 42: 333–337. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.1996.04178.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Groupe de Recherche en Pathologie Neuromusculaire (ER 269), Faculté de Médecine de Créteil, Departments of,

  2. 2

    Toxicology,

  3. 3

    Physiology,

  4. 4

    Internal Medicine, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil and Department of,

  5. 5

    Neurology, Hôpital Albert Chenevier, Créteil, France

* Dr Patrick Chariot Service de Toxicologie, Hôpital Henri Mondor, 94 000 Créteil, France

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 OCT 2003
  2. Article first published online: 2 OCT 2003

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Keywords:

  • statins;
  • fibrates;
  • hypercholesterolaemia;
  • ubiquinone;
  • lactate;
  • mitochondria

1Statins inhibit synthesis of mevalonate, a precursor of ubiquinone that is a central compound of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. The main adverse effect of statins is a toxic myopathy possibly related to mitochondrial dysfunction.

2This study was designed to evaluate the effect of lipid-lowering drugs on ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) serum level and on mitochondrial function assessed by blood lactate/pyruvate ratio.

3Eighty hypercholesterolaemic patients (40 treated by statins, 20 treated by fibrates, and 20 untreated patients, all 80 having total cholesterol levels >6.0 mmol l−1) and 20 healthy controls were included. Ubiquinone serum level and blood lactate/pyruvate ratio used as a test for mitochondrial dysfunction were evaluated in all subjects.

4Lactate/pyruvate ratios were significantly higher in patients treated by statins than in untreated hypercholesterolaemic patients or in healthy controls (P<0.05 and P<0.001). The difference was not significant between fibrate-treated patients and untreated patients.

5Ubiquinone serum levels were lower in statin-treated patients (0.75 mg l−1±0.04) than in untreated hypercholesterolaemic patients (0.95 mg l−1±0.09; P<0.05).

6We conclude that statin therapy can be associated with high blood lactate/pyruvate ratio suggestive of mitochondrial dysfunction. It is uncertain to what extent low serum levels of ubiquinone could explain the mitochondrial dysfunction.

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