When the first step of energy production is blocked, methylene blue can help mitochondria make energy again—but when the second step is blocked, it can't help at all.
Scientific Claim
In mouse brain mitochondria, methylene blue (1 μM) partially restores respiration inhibited by rotenone (Complex I blockade), increasing oxygen consumption from 1.95 ± 0.6 to 21 ± 3.2 nmol/min/mg, but has minimal effect on respiration inhibited by antimycin (15.6 ± 4.9 to 20.2 ± 6.1 nmol/min/mg), confirming its ability to bypass Complex I but not Complex III.
Original Statement
“Adding 1 μM MB partially restored the rate of mitochondrial respiration to 21 ± 3.2 nmol/min/mg... MB had very little effect on the rate of mitochondria respiration (20.2 ± 6.1 nmol/min/mg) [after antimycin].”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
appropriately stated
Study Design Support
Design supports claim
Appropriate Language Strength
definitive
Can make definitive causal claims
Assessment Explanation
The study reports precise, statistically significant (p<0.05) oxygen consumption values from n=4 independent experiments under controlled conditions. The numbers directly support definitive claims about the magnitude of effect.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (0)
Contradicting (1)
Methylene blue does not bypass Complex III antimycin block in mouse brain mitochondria
The study shows that methylene blue can’t fix energy production when Complex III is blocked, even though it can help when Complex I is blocked — so it doesn’t work around both problems like the claim suggests.