SKULACHEV ION - Controlling the Program of Ageing

THEORY - reactive oxygen species are known to present serious danger for living cells and whole organisms, especially with age.

TECHNOLOGY - SkQ1 reduces reactive oxygen species production inside mitochondria in a controlled and sustainable manner.

RESULTS - . In laboratories led by Professor V.P.Skulachev, drugs and cosmetics based on SkQ1 have been developed for the treatment of various age-related disorders. New drugs are currently being developed.

In 2004, a new substance called SkQ1 was synthesized in the group of professor Vladimir P. Skulachev in the Moscow State University.  The name SkQ1 was given to the substance as the first representative of a particularly potent class of molecules named “SkQ” – the term introduced by the team to describe molecules containing ion Sk an a quinone.

A part of SkQ1 coined “Skulachev ion” or Sk functions as a molecular “locomotive” or “towing truck” carrying the other part of the molecule – an extremely active antioxidant plastoquinone – into mitochondria. Both theoretical calculations and experimental results showed that SkQ1 is delivered into mitochondria in an extremely targeted and efficient manner. The physics of mitochondrial membrane and the unusual properties of “Skulachev ions” direct SkQ1 into the inner leaflet of the inner mitochondrial membrane with high precision.

Presence of SkQ1 in mitochondrial membrane enables mitochondria to protect itself from reactive oxygen species (ROS) by breaking chain reaction of lipid destruction. This ability of SkQ1 molecule to protect cells against oxidative stress plays a very important role in treating patients suffering from various age-related disorders.
Unlike the most of conventional drugs, SkQ is capable of treating a variety of seemingly different disorders across all therapeutic areas. SkQ1 has been shown to be effective in animal models of many conditions attributable to ageing process from ophthalmology to neurodegeneration and CV disorders:

• SkQ1 showed a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.
• SkQ is able to delay the development of several traits of aging and increase the life span in a variety of animals.
• It was shown that SkQ accelerates wound healing, as well as treats age-related diseases such as osteoporosis, cataracts, retinopathy and others.
• The drug "Visomitin" on the basis of SkQ1 used in veterinary practice for the treatment of ophthalmologic diseases in pets. In particular, the effectiveness is shown for the treatment of retinopathy in dogs, cats and horses.
• Experiments have shown an unexpected effect of SkQ on plants. The substance stimulated differentiation (in the treatment of callus) and seed germination (patent US 8,557,733), increased the yield of different crops.

SkQ1 is included in the composition of cosmetic products such as Mitovitan Active, Mitovitan serum and Exomitin.