title: In vitro response of erythrocytes to alpha-tocopherol exposure.
abstract: It has been studied the in vitro direct action of alpha-tocopherol on osmotic fragility of red blood cells (RBCs) as well as its protective role in presence of two oxidizing drugs: phenylhydrazine hydrochloride or hydrogen peroxide. Incubation of RBCs with dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, at doses near to the plasma concentration in rat (6 micrograms/ml) did not modify the osmotic fragility of RBCs but increasing doses of tocopherol induces changes in osmotic fragility which directly parallelled the vitamin E concentrations. In addition, tocopherol did not protect RBCs from the hemolytic effect of the oxidizing drugs tested. Data from osmotic fragility after preincubation with dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and later incubation with these oxidizing drugs point to a possible toxic effect of higher dose vitamin E supplementation rather to a protective role on membrane stability.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009996:Osmotic Fragility / Q000187:drug effects; D010659:Phenylhydrazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010659:Phenylhydrazines; C030299:phenylhydrazine; D014810:Vitamin E; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide