Research published in Journal of Craniofacial Surgery (January 2015; Volume 26, Issue 1, Pages 277–280) examined the effects of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on facial nerve regeneration following injury. The study was conducted in an animal model using 16 albino rats.
Right facial nerve stimulation thresholds were measured before nerve injury, immediately after a standardized nerve crush, and again after one month of treatment. The rats were randomly divided into two groups. One group received CoQ10 at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day, administered intraperitoneally for 30 days, while the control group received a saline solution.
Immediately after nerve injury, there was no statistically significant difference in stimulation thresholds between the CoQ10 and saline groups. After one month of treatment, however, the group receiving CoQ10 demonstrated greater improvement in nerve stimulation thresholds compared with the control group. Despite this improvement, neither group had returned to pre-injury stimulation amplitude levels.
Histological examination using light microscopy revealed significant differences between the two groups after one month, including changes in vascular congestion, macrovacuolization, and myelin thickness, favoring the CoQ10-treated animals.
The authors concluded that although many approaches have been explored to accelerate facial nerve regeneration after trauma, no definitive treatment has yet been established. They noted that CoQ10 appeared promising based on both physiological measurements and pathological findings in this experimental model.
