Treatment of Obstructive Bladder Dysfunction in Rabbits with Coenzyme Q10 and Alpha Lipoic Acid

Abstract

Objectives: Partial bladder outlet obstruction (PBOO) is one of the major pathological effects of benign prostatic hyperplasia in men. It is well demonstrated that ischemia followed by reperfusion and the resulting generation of free radicals and oxidative damage to proteins occur in our rabbit model of PBOO and are involved in the observed progressive obstructive bladder dysfunction. The aim of the current project was to determine if treatment of obstructed rabbits with alpha lipoic acid and coenzyme Q10 can reverse the urodynamic, biochemical, and physiological responses to PBOO. Methods: Twenty adult NZW male rabbits were divided into four groups (n = 5 per group): control (sham surgical) animals with no treatment (group 1); control animals treated with coenzyme Q10 + alpha lipoic acid for 3 weeks beginning 4 weeks after surgery (group 2); 7‐week obstructed rabbits (group 3); and 7‐week obstructed rabbits treated for the last 3 weeks with the combination of the two drugs (group 4). Results: Bladder weight, compliance, volume at micturition and contractile response to all forms of stimulation were reduced following obstruction, but significantly improved after treatment. In addition, the level of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species damage was significantly reduced by treatment. Conclusion: Our results provide additional support for the beneficial effects of treatment of PBOO with strong antioxidants.