EFFECTS OF TOCOPHEROL AND ITS ANALOGS ON IN-VIVO LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND ELECTRON-TRANSPORT IN RAT-LIVER MITOCHONDRIA

In vivo effects of vitamin E and its analogs (alpha-tocopheryl acetate with side chain shortened to six carbon atoms with either saturated o r unsaturated bonds at the terminus, alpha-tocopherol, and alpha-tocop heryl quinone without the side chain) on the rate of malonic dialdehyd e formation, diene conjugate and total lipid contents in the liver, ac tivity of respiratory chain enzymes (succinate and NADH dehydrogenase and succinate and NADH-ubiquinone reductase), and vitamin E and ubiqui none contents in liver mitochondria of vitamin E-deficient rats were i nvestigated Alpha-tocopheryl acetate with side chain shortened to C6 a nd with saturated bond at the chain terminus was found to be the most effective analog of tocopherol. Further shortening of the tocopherol s ide chain or conversion of tocopherol into quinone decreases the its a ctivity.