Positive Health Online

Abstract

ABRAHAM and COLLEAGUES, 1 Division of Cardiology, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , Little Rock , Arkansas , USA conduct a review dealing with the current understanding on the potential mechanisms involved in the anticancer effects of vitamin E and the controversies in this field over last three decades.

Background

Vitamin E is a lipid soluble vitamin comprising of eight natural isoforms, namely, α, β, δ, γ isoforms of tocopherol and α, β, δ, γ isoforms of tocotrienol.

Methodology

Many studies have been performed to elucidate its role in cancer. Until last decade, major focus was on alpha tocopherol and its anticancer effects. However, major clinical trials using alpha-tocopherol like SELECT trial and ATBC trial did not yield meaningful results.

Results

Hence there was a shift of focus to gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol and tocotrienol. Unlike alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol and delta-tocopherol can scavenge reactive nitrogen species in addition to reactive oxygen species. Antiangiogenic effect, inhibition of HMG CoA reductase enzyme and inhibition of NF-κB pathway make the anti-cancer effects of tocotrienols unique compared to other vitamin E isoforms. Preclinical research on non-alpha tocopherol isoforms of vitamin E showed promising data on their anticancer effects. In this review, we deal with the current understanding on the potential mechanisms involved in the anticancer effects of vitamin E and the controversies in this field over last three decades.

Conclusion

The authors also highlight the need to conduct further research on the anticancer effects of non-alpha-tocopherol isoforms in larger population and clinical setting.

References

Annette Abraham  1 , Ajoe John Kattoor  1 , Tom Saldeen  1 , Jawahar L Mehta  1.  Vitamin E and its anticancer effects Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr.; 59(17):2831-2838. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1474169. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29746786/  Epub Oct 23 2018.  2019.