BACKGROUND Epidemiologic evidence indicates that diets high in carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, as well as high serum levels of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and beta carotene, are associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer. METHODS We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary-prevention trial to determine whether daily supplementation with alpha-tocopherol, bet...

Vitamin E disappearance is accelerated in cigarette smokers due to their increased oxidative stress and is inversely correlated with plasma vitamin C concentrations. Therefore, we hypothesized that ascorbic acid supplementation (500 mg, twice daily; 2 weeks) would normalize smokers' plasma alpha- and gamma-tocopherol disappearance rates and conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomiz...

The antioxidant activities of natural d-alpha-tocopherol, mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols, and formulations comprising all forms of vitamin E, providing 400 IU, were determined employing an improved oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay using fluorescein (FL) as the fluorescent probe, randomly methylated beta-cyclodextrin (RMCD), 2,2'-azobis(2-amidino-propane)dihydrochloride (AAPH)...

Intrapulmonary administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces a well-characterized lung inflammatory response involving alveolar macrophage activation, proinflammatory cytokine elaboration, and neutrophil influx. Vitamin E, a lipophilic antioxidant consisting of a family that includes tocopherols and tocotrienols, has previously been shown to have a variety of anti-inflammatory ef...

The present study assessed the influence of type tropical pastures on lamb body weight (BW) gain and meat quality. Fifty-four lambs were allocated to three grazing pastures: (1) AG — Aruana grass (Panicum maximum cv. IZ-5); (2) PP pigeon pea legume (Cajanus cajan Anão); (3) CS contiguous swards, half paddock with PP. After 92 days grazing, slaughtered. Carcasses evaluated longissimus muscle was...

Two experiments evaluated the relationship of vitamin E (source and level) and vitamin A (level) on the apparent absorption and retention of both vitamins in weaned pigs. Both experiments used a combined total of 460 crossbred pigs ([Yorkshire x Landrace] x Duroc), housed in elevated 1.2- x 1.2-m crates containing five pigs per pen. Experiment 1 was a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatmen...

The use of the transdermal contraceptive patch is associated with greater bioavailability of ethinyl estradiol (EE) compared with contraceptive vaginal ring or oral contraceptives (OC). We compared the influences of three contraceptive methods (OC, vaginal ring, and transdermal patch) on serum levels of coenzyme Q(10), alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol and total antioxidant capacity in premeno...

A 2 x 2 trial was conducted to determine the effects of injected vitamin A and dietary level of vitamin E on blood serum and tissue concentrations of alpha-tocopherol during early gestation of gilts. Thirty-two crossbred gilts were fed a corn soybean meal basal diet supplemented with DL-alpha tocopheryl acetate to provide either 25 or 500 IU of vitamin E/kg of diet. Gilts were fed daily 1.9 kg/...

Either alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) or one of its model compounds having side chains of different length at the 2-position of alpha-tocopherol, forms complexes with an unsaturated fatty acid in methanol. For complex formation, the isoprenoid side chain and hydroxy group of alpha-tocopherol are unessential and, rather, the methyl groups attached to the aromatic ring of the chromanol moiety seems...