Tocopherols (vitamin E) are the major lipid-soluble chain-breaking antioxidants of membranes and blood plasma ( 1 – 3 ). Antioxidant function of tocopherols is confined to their chromanol nucleus with 6-hydroxy group, and is based on the ability of the latter to reduce different radicals (e.g., lipid peroxyl radicals [LOO*], oxygen radicals) yielding chromanoxyl radicals ( 2 – 4 ).
| (1) |
