UPDATING ON TOCOPHEROLS IN CLINICAL BIOCH EMISTRY

The working group on lipophilic vitamins of the FSBC has reviewed curr ent knowledge in the field of tocopherols and tried to summarize the m ost important and recent aspects that may be useful to clinical practi tioners. The molecular structure of tocopherols and tocotrienols, thei r biogenesis, their analysis in foods, their metabolism in humans, the ir measurement in biological fluids, and the organism's needs and diet ary I requirements are reviewed. Their main functions as antioxidants and free radical scavengers are described at the molecular, ultra-stru ctural, cellular and organ levels. The interest of these vitamins in t hree pathologies in which oxidative-stress has been implicated (athero sclerosis, cancer, kidney failure) is discussed.