Non-nutritive bioactive food constituents of plants: tocopherols (vitamin E).
An increasing body of data, especially the in vitro and cell culture studies support protecting effects of tocopherols. They indicate that there is a selective tocopherol transport in the human liver with a higher affinity for alpha-tocopherol, however, they also show that in food, gamma- and delta-tocopherol are a more potent antioxidant than alpha-tocopherol. Tocopherols as a group are the key antioxidants in human cell membranes and are also important in protecting the LDL particles. These LDL particles and other similar intermediate markers of oxidative stress show a good response to tocopherol intakes. Published data underline the role of tocopherols as protecting agents against oxidative stress. They therefore allow the assumption that alpha-tocopherol is probably effective in preventing atherosclerosis, although no proven direct relation to the outcome of the disease itself exists.
Elmadfa
Ibrahim
I
Institut für Ernährungswissenschaften, Universität Wien. Ibrahim.elmadfa@univie.ac.at
Wagner
Karl-Heinz
KH
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001682:Biological Availability; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D010945:Plants, Edible / Q000737:chemistry*; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000502:physiology; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000494:pharmacology; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol / Q000494:pharmacology
D000975:Antioxidants; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014810:Vitamin E; D024504:gamma-Tocopherol; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D024505:Tocopherols