Possible therapeutic use of tocopherols in cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases

Vitamin E is a mixture of different isoforms (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, delta-tocopherols and tocotrienols). alpha-Tocopherol, the most important isoform was considered acting as antioxidant and preventing cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. However, big multicenter studies with high doses of alpha-tocopherol supplementation showed a failure in prevention of the above mentioned diseases. alpha-Tocopherol plays a very important role as gene regulator in a non-antioxidant way. Other Vitamin E isoforms (gamma-tocopherol, tocotrienols) have much higher neuroprotective effect. The human brain is highly sensitive for tocopherol supply but can not accumulate tocopherols. New composites of gamma-tocopherol or tocotrienols facilitating gut absorption and penetration across the blood-brain-barrier should be tried and applied in human studies for prevention of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.