Vitamin-E metabolism and its application

Vitamin E, the most active form is alpha-tocopherol, widely distributed in nature with different biological activities. It is a major lipid-soluble antioxidant responsible for protecting membranes against lipid peroxidation which could slow the aging process in humans or animals. Several roles of vitamin E have been reported such as antioxidant, intermediary in arachidonic acid and prostaglandin metabolism, nucleic acid, protein and lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, sex hormones production, in maintaining the integrity of membranes, in protection against hemolytic anemia and impaired erythropoiesis, reducing the risks of heart disease, cancer, neurological diseases, cataract, retinopathy of premature infants and arthritis. Vitamin E deficiency results in neurological syndrome in people with chronic malabsorption. It is useful in the neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, epilepsy and tardiv dyskinesia. Several clinical applications of vitamin E are known in diseases such as abetalipoproteinemia, cystic fibrosis, cholestic liver disease, hemolytic anemias, respiratory distress, epilepsy, burns, aging, cancer, ischemic heart disease and cataract. The future study of vitamin E in humans or animal models should provide more definitive evidence of its absorption, transport, utilization and retention in various body organs and tissues as well as in protection and prevention of major neurological diseases.