Positive Health Online

Abstract

CARAFFA and COLLEAGUES, 1. University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy; 2. Department of Dentistry, Chieti, Italy; 3. Department of Surgery and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Cagliari, Italy; 4. Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece; 5. Vascular Medicine Unit, Villa Serena Hospital, Citta' Sant’Angelo, Italy; 6. Clinica dei Pazienti del Territorio, Policlinico Gemelli, Rome, Italy; 7. Department of Dermatology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; 8. University Hospital, Perugia, Italy; 9. Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece; 10. Salve Regina University, Newport USA; 11. Immunology Division, Medical School, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy reviewed the effects of Vitamin E in relation to allergy.

Background

Vitamin E is found in eight forms in nature which include four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta).

Methodology

The classic effect of vitamin E is to reduce and prevent oxygen damage to the tissue and is useful for the treatment of pain, inflammation and allergic reactions. In addition to antioxidant activity, vitamin E also has a number of different and related functions.

Results

It protects against cancer, improves immune response, lowers the incidence of infectious diseases, cardiovascular diseases and is protective in allergy and asthma risk, and other disorders. Vitamin E increases n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and decreases n-3 PUFA, an effect that diminishes asthma and allergic diseases. Moreover, vitamin E regulates vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1)-dependent leukocyte migration through its oxidant and non-antioxidant effect. Furthermore, vitamin E modulates the endothelial function by altering VCAM-1-induced oxidative activation of endothelial cell PKCα. However, vitamin E is not consistently associated with asthma and/or allergy, and in some cases there are conflicting results on allergy and inflammatory diseases.

Conclusion

The association of vitamin E and allergy appears to be very complex, and further study needs to clarify this dilemma.

References

Caraffa AL1, Varvara G2, Spinas E3, Kritas SK4, Lessiani G5, Ronconi G6, Saggini A7, Antinolfi P8, Frydas I9, De Tommaso Morrison MC10, Conti P11. Is vitamin E an anti-allergic compound? J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 30(1):11-5. Jan-Mar 2016.