Co-enzyme q10 formulations and methods of use

Abstract

Topical formulations of CoQ10 reduce the rate of tumor growth in an animal subject. In the experiments described herein, CoQ10 was shown to increase the rate of apoptosis in a culture of skin cancer cells but not normal cells. Moreover, treatment of tumor-bearing animals with a topical formulation of CoQ10 was shown to dramatically reduce the rate of tumor growth in the animals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A method of treating a cancer patient, comprising:
 administering to a patient in need thereof, a composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of Coenzyme Q10;   contacting a tumor cell with the composition resulting in the lysis of the tumor cell; thereby treating the cancer patient.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the composition comprises about 1% up to 25% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the composition comprises about 1% to about 20% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the composition comprising the Coenzyme Q10 is formulated as a topical cream. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a therapeutic effective amount of the Coenzyme Q10 composition is administered with one or more chemotherapeutic agents. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent can be co-administered, precede, or administered after the composition comprising a therapeutic effective amount of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of cyclophosphamide (CTX, 25 mg/kg/day, p.o.), taxanes (paclitaxel or docetaxel), busulfan, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, daunorubicin, doxorubicin, melphalan, cladribine, vincristine, vinblastine, and chlorambucil. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein treatment results in inhibition of tumor cell growth. 
     
     
         16 . A method for inhibiting tumor cell growth in a subject, the method comprising administering to the subject a pharmaceutical composition comprising CoQ10. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises between about 1% and 25% w/w of coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% up to 25% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% to about 20% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         20 . A method of inducing apoptosis in a tumor cell, the method comprising administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% up to 25% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% to about 20% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in at least about 30% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in about 50% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in about 60% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in about 75% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in about 90% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition induces apoptosis in about 99.9% of tumor cells as measured by mitochondrial membrane dye assay and/or Annexin-VPE assay. 
     
     
         29 . A method of inhibiting angiogenesis in a tumor, the method comprising contacting a tumor with a pharmaceutical composition comprising coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% up to 25% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the pharmaceutical composition comprises about 1% to about 20% w/w of Coenzyme Q10. 
     
     
         33 - 37 . (canceled)