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Tocotrienol
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Tocotrienol
Tocotrienols are plant-derived natural products belonging to the vitamin E family of diterpenoids. They exist as four isomers (alpha, beta, gamma, delta), each differing in the number and position of methyl groups on their chromanol ring. Tocotrienols are distinguished from the closely related tocopherols by their side chains: tocotrienols have three unsaturated isoprenoid double bonds, whereas tocopherols have a fully saturated side chain.
Tocotrienols are compounds naturally occurring in some foods sources, the richest being palm oil, but to a lesser extent rice bran oil, barley, oats, and certain seeds, nuts and grains, and the oils derived from them.
Chemically, different analogues of vitamin E all show some activity as a chemical antioxidant, but do not all have the same vitamin E equivalence. Tocotrienols demonstrate activity depending on the type of antioxidant performance being measured. All tocotrienols have some physical antioxidant activity due to an ability to donate a hydrogen atom (a proton plus electron) from the hydroxyl group on the chromanol ring, to free radical and reactive oxygen species. Historically studies of tocotrienols account for less than 1% of all research into vitamin E. Tocotrienols are generally well tolerated and without significant side effects.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the United States National Academy of Sciences does not define a Recommended Dietary Allowance or Adequate Intake for tocotrienols.
A review of human studies in middle-aged and elderly stated "Evidence from prospective and case-control studies suggested that increased blood levels of tocotrienols were associated with favorable cognitive function outcomes." The review qualified this statement by noting that randomized, controlled clinical trials were needed to evaluate these observations.
Reviews of human research linked tocotrienol treatment to improved biomarkers for inflammation and cardiovascular disease, although those did not report any information on clinically significant disease outcomes. Biomarkers for other diseases were not affected by tocotrienol supplementation.
The discovery of tocotrienols was first reported by Pennock and Whittle in 1964, describing the isolation of tocotrienols from rubber. The biological significance of tocotrienols was clearly delineated in the early 1980s, when its ability to lower cholesterol was first reported by Asaf Qureshi and Elson in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. During the 1990s, the anti-cancer properties of tocopherols and tocotrienols began to be delineated. The current commercial sources of tocotrienol are rice bran oil and palm oil. Other natural tocotrienol sources include barley and oats. Tocotrienols are safe and human studies show no adverse effects with consumption of 240 mg/day for 48 months.
The discovery of vitamin E by scientists Katherine Bishop and Herbert Evans in 1922 marked the beginning of the understanding of tocotrienols. Vitamin E was named "tocopherol" (from the Greek words tokos, meaning childbirth, and phero, meaning to bring forth) due to its presumed role in aiding conception.
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Tocotrienol
Tocotrienols are plant-derived natural products belonging to the vitamin E family of diterpenoids. They exist as four isomers (alpha, beta, gamma, delta), each differing in the number and position of methyl groups on their chromanol ring. Tocotrienols are distinguished from the closely related tocopherols by their side chains: tocotrienols have three unsaturated isoprenoid double bonds, whereas tocopherols have a fully saturated side chain.
Tocotrienols are compounds naturally occurring in some foods sources, the richest being palm oil, but to a lesser extent rice bran oil, barley, oats, and certain seeds, nuts and grains, and the oils derived from them.
Chemically, different analogues of vitamin E all show some activity as a chemical antioxidant, but do not all have the same vitamin E equivalence. Tocotrienols demonstrate activity depending on the type of antioxidant performance being measured. All tocotrienols have some physical antioxidant activity due to an ability to donate a hydrogen atom (a proton plus electron) from the hydroxyl group on the chromanol ring, to free radical and reactive oxygen species. Historically studies of tocotrienols account for less than 1% of all research into vitamin E. Tocotrienols are generally well tolerated and without significant side effects.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the United States National Academy of Sciences does not define a Recommended Dietary Allowance or Adequate Intake for tocotrienols.
A review of human studies in middle-aged and elderly stated "Evidence from prospective and case-control studies suggested that increased blood levels of tocotrienols were associated with favorable cognitive function outcomes." The review qualified this statement by noting that randomized, controlled clinical trials were needed to evaluate these observations.
Reviews of human research linked tocotrienol treatment to improved biomarkers for inflammation and cardiovascular disease, although those did not report any information on clinically significant disease outcomes. Biomarkers for other diseases were not affected by tocotrienol supplementation.
The discovery of tocotrienols was first reported by Pennock and Whittle in 1964, describing the isolation of tocotrienols from rubber. The biological significance of tocotrienols was clearly delineated in the early 1980s, when its ability to lower cholesterol was first reported by Asaf Qureshi and Elson in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. During the 1990s, the anti-cancer properties of tocopherols and tocotrienols began to be delineated. The current commercial sources of tocotrienol are rice bran oil and palm oil. Other natural tocotrienol sources include barley and oats. Tocotrienols are safe and human studies show no adverse effects with consumption of 240 mg/day for 48 months.
The discovery of vitamin E by scientists Katherine Bishop and Herbert Evans in 1922 marked the beginning of the understanding of tocotrienols. Vitamin E was named "tocopherol" (from the Greek words tokos, meaning childbirth, and phero, meaning to bring forth) due to its presumed role in aiding conception.