Isolation and identification of coenzyme Q from Leishmania donovani.

Abstract Crystalline coenzyme Q (CoQ) was obtained from Leishmania donovani promastigotes by extraction of the unsaponifiable material with hexane, chromatography on a Florisil column and crystallization from ethanol. Crystalline CoQ in ethanol revealed an ultraviolet-peak, at 275 nm, which disappeared upon reduction with NaBH 4 . Polarographic and mass fragmentographic measurements were characteristic of CoQ homologs. Reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography revealed that it is CoQ 9 .