Characterization and pharmacokinetics of coenzyme Q10 nanoparticles prepared by a rapid expansion of supercritical solution process.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been found to be effective in cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the extremely poor solubility of CoQ10 in water is hampering its bioavailability as a therapeutic agent. To overcome solubility problem, we micronized the CoQ10 powder to the nanometer level by the supercritical solution (RESS) process, which does not employ any toxic organic solvent. The obtained CoQ10 nanoparticles were 147.9 +/- 27.3nm in diameter and their physicochemical properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyzes. Moreover, the pharmacokinetics of the CoQ10 nanoparticles, in comparison with the unprocessed CoQ10 powder, were investigated in rats. From the results of physicochemical and pharmacokinetic studies, the CoQ10 nanoparticles had high solubility in water and possessed less crystalline structure, which can enhance the bioavailability of CoQ10, and provide a water-soluble solid dosage form of CoQ10.