Tocopherols effects

Ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol are effective blocking agents against N-nitroso compound formation. Ascorbic acid is effective particularly in aqueous media, and tocopherol effective particularly in lipid phases. They should be used in conjunction due to the mutually complementary actions of the two vitamins in blocking nitrosamine formation in both aqueous and lipid media. 

Stillwell W, Dalhnan T, Dumaual AC, Crump FT. Jenski LJ. Cholesterol versus a-tocopherol effects on properties of bilayers made from heteroacid phosphatidylcholines. Biochemistry 1996 35 13,353-13,362. 

The scientific community has been discussing for quite some time now the relationship between oxidative stress, defined as the imbalance between oxidant and antioxidants [45], and the health-disease status. An impressive amount of information available in the literature deals with the effects of the classic antioxidants, ascorbic acid, a-tocopherol, and jS-carotene in a huge series of pathophysiological situations in experimental animals and humans. Concerning the effects of the classic antioxidants on mitochondrial function in situations of oxidative stress, the information is not so vast and most of the time it is not conclusive. However, substantial progress has been made in the description of the mitochondrial alterations in neurodegenerative diseases and in the a-tocopherol effects,both as prevention and as treatment [46]. We will briefly review some reports related to vitamin E and mitochondrial dysfunction in oxidative metaboHc disorders and in the neurodegenerative Alzheimer s and Parkinson s diseases. 

Kupczyk, B. and Gogolewski, M. (1999). Effects of gamma irradiation and menadione (vit. K3) on dissolution and dimerization of homologous tocopherols. Effect of storage time, Food Sci. TechnoL, 3, 39. 

Cherian, G., Wolfe, F.H., and Sim, J.S. 1996. Feeding dietary oils with tocopherols effects on internal quahties of eggs during storage, J. Food Set, 61(1), 15. 

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