Characterization of CoQ 10-lauric acid eutectic system

• Two polymorphic forms of CoQ 10.
• CoQ 10 forms eutectic mixture with LA.
• Experimental and predicted values of eutectic points are 70% CoQ 10 at 37.93 °C and 87.7% CoQ 10 at 38.98 °C, respectively.
• Attraction exists between CoQ 10 and LA molecules.

Solid state characterization of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ 10) was carried out using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), variable temperature X-ray diffractometry (VT-XRD) and hot/cold stage microscopy (H/CSM). It revealed that CoQ 10 exists in two polymorphic forms. The recrystallized samples of CoQ 10 melted at different temperatures either due to the wide crystal size variation or change in crystallinity. Further, the binary mixture of CoQ 10 and lauric acid (LA) formed eutectic mixture in the ratio 70:30 melting at 37.93 °C, which was close to the predicted eutectic composition of 87.7:12.3 melting at 38.98 °C. The values of actual liquidus temperatures for CoQ 10 are higher than the predicted liquidus temperatures. The experimental heat of fusion at eutectic point was less than the calculated heat of fusion. Activity coefficient of CoQ 10 in the binary mixture was less than unity, which indicates the attraction between the components of eutectic mixture.