VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)

Vitamin E, the main lipid-soluble antioxidant, was discovered in 1926.
The main food sources are plant oils, nuts, green vegetables, and margarine.
Vitamin E prevents lipid peroxidation in vitro, but this may not be its most important role in vivo.

This lecture deals with the antioxidant activities of tocopherols, while lecture III is mainly concerned with their non-antioxidant functions.

Figure
Vitamin E intercalates in cell membranes

Figure
Structure of α-tocopherol

Vitamin E is a family of homologues:
4 forms of tocopherols - α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocopherol
4 forms of tocotrienols - α-, β-, γ-, and δ-tocotrienol

See overview of Vitamin E Chemistry in the menu items.