Human Nutrition 3(3+0)

Lesson 22 : Vitamin E

Physiological and biochemical functions

• Vitamin E prevents peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in tissues and membranes. In vitamin E deficiency poly-unsaturated fatty acids undergo peroxidation and yellow and brown pigments are formed.
• Vitamin E protects erythrocytes from haemolysis by oxidizing agents such as dialuric acid and hydrogen peroxide.
• Vitamin E helps to prevent degeneration of cellular and subcellular membranes which are known to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Vitamin E protects against liver injury due to carbon tetrachloride poisoning.
• Demyelination, gliosis and distortion of the axon pattern in the spinal cord, giving rise to hypalgesia and progressive paresis, can be prevented by vitamin E.
• Vitamin E along with an activator present in microsomal supernatant prevents the respiratory decline in isolated mitochondria.
• Vitamin E helps to increase the activity of selenium compounds present in traces in animal tissues.