Functional benefits of PLGA particulates carrying VEGF and CoQ10 in an animal of myocardial ischemia

Myocardial ischemia (MI) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Angiogenic therapy with the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a promising strategy to overcome hypoxia and its consequences. However, from the clinical data it is clear that fulfillment of the potential of VEGF warrants a better delivery strategy. On the other hand, the compelling evidences of the role of oxidative stress in diseases like MI encourage the use of antioxidant agents. Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) due to its role in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria seems to be a good candidate to manage MI but is associated with poor biopharmaceutical properties seeking better delivery approaches. The female Sprague Dawley rats were induced MI and were followed up with VEGF microparticles intramyocardially and CoQ(10) nanoparticles orally or their combination with appropriate controls. Cardiac function was assessed by measuring ejection fraction before and after three months of therapy. Results demonstrate significant improvement in the ejection fraction after three months with both treatment forms individually; however the combination therapy failed to offer any synergism. In conclusion, VEGF microparticles and CoQ(10) nanoparticles can be considered as promising strategies for managing MI. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.