Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant. There are two forms of vitamin E - tocopherol and tocotrienol. Alpha-tocopherol is the most biologically active form. Vitamin E protects cell membranes from damage by reacting with and neutralizing free radicals before they can damage cells. The daily recommended intake is 10mg for males and 8mg for females. Good dietary sources include seeds, grains, nuts and various plant oils. While a vitamin E deficiency can cause issues like muscular dystrophy, an excess of vitamin E is not known to cause any specific disease.

1. Vitamin E
By Momina M.Asif
Instructor: Dr.Iqra Farid
Reference:
Satyanarayana
Jaypee

2. Vitamins are the organic compounds which are essential for
normal growth and nutrition and are required in small quantities
in the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.
Vitamins:
Nature:
Fat soluble vitamin
Fat soluble vitamins:
Fat soluble vitamins are not readily excreted in urine. Hence
excess consumption leads to their accumulation and their toxic
effects.

3. Other Names:
• Tocopherol
• Anti Oxidant Factor
• Anti sterility Vitamin
• Vitamin in search of a disease
Structure:
It contains two Hexane rings
And 3 Isoprenoid units (saturated)
-OH group on 6th Carbon is important for Anti-oxidant Activity

4. Chemistry:-
There are two Vitamers of Vitamin E :-
1) Tocopherol
2) Tocotrienol
Both forms are further divided into 4 subunits:
• Alpha
• Beta
• Gamma
• Sigma
Tocopherol:-
Tocopherols Differ from each other in the number or position
of methyl groups.

5. Alpha Tocopherol :-
Methyl group on Carbon no. 5,7,8
It is the most Active form of Tocopherol
Beta Tocopherol: 5,8 Dimethyl Tocol
Gamma Tocopherol:- 7,8 Dimethyl Tocol
Sigma Tocopherol:- 8 methyl Tocol

6. Tocotrienol:-
Differ from Tocopherol is Unsaturated Isoprenoid units.
Tocotrienol is more stable than Tocopherol.
RDA:-
In Males = 10mg (15 IU)
In Females = 8mg (12 IU)

7. Transportation:-
Vitamin E is absorbed along with Fat in Small Intestine.
First of all, Fats are emulsified with Bile salts.
Then vitamin E is absorbed from Intestine.
Then it goes into Blood stream & stored in live, adipose tissues & muscles.
Normal Plasma level of Tocopherol is Less than 1mg/dL
Sources:-
It is found where Polyunsaturated fatty acids are present.
And it is found in
• Seeds
• Grains
• Dry Fruits
• Cottonseed oil
• Corn oil
• Wheat germ oil
• Sunflower oil

8. Biochemical Functions
1. Anti-oxidant Property:-
• It prevents non-enzymatic oxidation (e.g polyunsaturated fatty
acids) to form Free Radicals (Peroxides).
• Hydroxyl group of chromane ring has a main role in Anti-oxidant
activity.
• Hydroxyl Group donates its hydrogen to free radical & stable it and gets
itself oxidized to form Quinone.
• Glutathione peroxidase have element Selenium which act Synergistically
with Vitamin E & Selenium is involved in Antioxidative functions.

9. 2. Role in Rats:-
Experiments perform o Rats that vitamin E removed from the body of rats,
as a result, they become infertile.
3. Coenzyme Q :-
Tocopherol derivative tocopheranolactone may be involved in synthesis of
coenzyme-Q or Ubiquinone.
4. Vitamin C :-
It help in the Regeneration of Vitamin E.
5. Chronic diseases :-
It has been used for the prevention of chronic diseases such as cancer and
heart diseases.

10. Hypovitaminosis:-
 Muscular Dystrophy
 Hemolytic Anemia
 Dietary hepatic Necrosis
Hypervitaminosis:-
Excess of vitamin E does not cause a specific disease. That’s why it is
called ‘’Vitamin in search of a disease’’

11. Thank You