title: An update on vitamin E, tocopherol and tocotrienol-perspectives.
abstract: Vitamin E, like tocotrienols and tocopherols, is constituted of compounds essential for animal cells. Vitamin E is exclusively synthesized by photosynthetic eukaryotes and other oxygenic photosynthetic organisms such as cyanobacteria. In order to prevent lipid oxidation, the plants mainly accumulate tocochromanols in oily seeds and fruits or in young tissues undergoing active cell divisions. From a health point of view, at the moment there is a great interest in the natural forms of tocochromanols, because they are considered promising compounds able to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system and satisfactory blood cholesterol levels. Some evidence suggests that the potency of the antioxidant effects may differ between natural or synthetic source of tocochromanols (vitamin E).
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Torino, via Pietro Giuria 9, Torino, Italy. marialaura.colombo@unito.it
authors.forename: Maria Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Colombo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D024508:Tocotrienols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D024508:Tocotrienols; D014815:Vitamins; D014810:Vitamin E; D024505:Tocopherols