Idebenone improves cerebral mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in a patient with MELAS.

Ikejiri Y, Mori E, Ishii K, Nishimoto K, Yasuda M, Sasaki M.

Division of Clinical Neurosciences
 Hyogo Institute for Aging Brain and Cognitive Disorders,
 Himeji, Japan.
Neurology 1996 Aug;47(2):583-5

ABSTRACT

We report a 36-year-old man with MELAS in whom a 5-month course of high-dose oral idebenone, a derivative of coenzyme Q10, increased markedly cerebral metabolic ratio of oxygen and oxygen extraction fraction without increased cerebral blood flow with PET. The results indicate that idebenone improves mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in the brain and suggest a therapeutic potential of idebenone for MELAS.