COQ7-IN-1 is a powerful inhibitor of human coenzyme Q (COQ7), effectively disrupting the synthesis of ubiquinone (UQ) in the body. Notably, COQ7-IN-1 does not disrupt the natural growth of human normal culture cells. This compound proves valuable for investigating the equilibrium between two pathways of UQ supplementation: de novo UQ synthesis and extracellular UQ uptake[1].

COQ7-IN-1 (Compound 8; 0-30 μM; for 4 days) inhibits WI-38 cell growth with a GI50 of 19.0 μM and weakly inhibits C3A cell growth with a GI50 of 9.0±1.1 μM, without affecting C3A cell survival via inhibition of aerobic respiration or increased oxidative stress[1]. COQ7 converts demethoxy-UQ (DMQ) to demethyl-UQ (DMeQ), which is then converted to UQ by COQ3. Cells deficient in COQ7 cannot produce UQ, leading to DMQ accumulation. DMQ10 and UQ10 contents in COQ7-IN-1 (10 μM; for 2 days) cultured HeLa cells are 13.2 and 12.2 ng/well, respectively, with a DMQ10 content of 52.0%[1].