Vitamin E Research

Vitamin E Research - Study 1

Adv Hematol. 2009;2009:689639. Epub 2009 Oct 20.Vitamin e and N-acetylcysteine as antioxidant adjuvant therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Al-Tonbary Y, Al-Haggar M, El-Ashry R, El-Dakroory S, Azzam H, Fouda A.

Hematology/Oncology Unit, Mansoura University Children's Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, 35516 Mansoura, Egypt.

Although cancer therapies have experienced great success nowadays, yet the associated toxic response and free radicals formation have resulted in significant number of treatment-induced deaths rather than disease-induced fatalities. Complications of chemotherapy have forced physicians to study antioxidant use as adjunctive treatment in cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant role of vitamin E and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) in overcoming treatment-induced toxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) during the intensive period of chemo-/radiotherapy, almost the first two months of treatment. Forty children newly diagnosed with ALL were enrolled in this study. Twenty children (group I) have taken vitamin E and NAC supplementations with chemotherapy and the other twenty children (group II) have not taken any adjuvant antioxidant therapy. They were evaluated clinically for the occurrence of complications and by the laboratory parameters (blood levels of glutathione peroxidase (Glu.PX) antioxidant enzyme, malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), liver enzymes, and bone marrow picture). Results revealed reduced chemotherapy and radiotherapy toxicity as evidenced by decreasing level of MDA, increasing level of Glu.Px and decreased occurrence of toxic hepatitis, haematological complications, and need for blood and platelet transfusions in group I compared to group II. We can conclude that vitamin E and NAC have been shown to be effective as antioxidant adjuvant therapy in children with ALL to reduce chemo-/radiotherapy-related toxicities during the initial period of treatment.

PMID: 19960046 [PubMed - in process]

Vitamin E Research - Study 2

Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2009 May-Jun;27(3 Suppl 54):51-4.Vitamin E gel reduces time of healing of digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis.

Fiori G, Fiori G, Galluccio F, Braschi F, Amanzi L, Miniati I, Conforti ML, Del Rosso A, Generini S, Candelieri A, Magonio A, Goretti R, Rasero L.

Department of Biomedicine, Scleroderma Ulcer Care Unit, Division of Rheumatology, AOUC, University of Florence, Italy.

BACKGROUND: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), digital ulcers (DU) are painful, difficult to heal and frequently infected, thus greatly affecting quality of life and increasing SSc-related disability. Vitamin E has been previously used in cutaneous lesions for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. OBJECTIVES: To study the healing effect of D-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (acetic ester of alpha-tocopherol) (VE) gel on DU of SSc patients. METHODS: 27 SSc patients with a total of 86 DU were enrolled in an open pilot study. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups: 15 patients were treated until DU healing with the local standard ulcer care protocol with the application of vitamin E gel (experimental group), while 12 patients were treated with standard ulcer care protocol only (control group). In both groups, DU were treated twice a week and pain was scored by a NRS (numeric rating scale). In both groups the cost of medications was analysed. RESULTS: VE induced a faster healing of DU in respect to controls (13.22+/-2.72 weeks, versus 20.94+/-3.65; p<0.0001) with a lower number of medications (26.18+/-5.63 vs. 41.88+/-7.31; p<0.0001). Resolution of pain was faster in experimental (17.82+/-4,59 medications) than in controls (26.26+/-19.16 medications) (p=0.0022). In the experimental group, the cost of medications was significantly lower (6,919.15 euros/patient) than in the control group (11,056.32 euros/patient). CONCLUSION: The application of VE reduces time of healing and has a faster resolution of pain, with a significant reduction of costs. Topical VE may improve the management of DU in SSc.

PMID: 19796562 [PubMed - in process]

Vitamin E Research - Study 3

Br J Nutr. 2009 Nov;102(10):1390-4.Vitamin E status and quality of life in the elderly: influence of inflammatory processes.

Capuron L, Moranis A, Combe N, Cousson-Gélie F, Fuchs D, De Smedt-Peyrusse V, Barberger-Gateau P, Layé S.

Laboratory of Psychoneuroimmunology, Nutrition and Genetics (PSYNUGEN), INRA 1286 - University Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, CNRS 5226, 146 rue Léo Saignat, Bordeaux F-33076, France. lucile.capuron@bordeaux.inra.fr

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a characteristic of ageing that may lead to alterations in health status and quality of life. In addition to intrinsic biological factors, recent data suggest that poor nutritional habits may largely contribute to this condition. The present study aimed at assessing mental and physical components of quality of life and at determining their relationship to vitamin E status, inflammation and tryptophan (TRP) metabolism in the elderly. Sixty-nine elderly subjects recruited from the Three-City cohort study participated in the study. Quality of life was assessed using the medical outcomes study thirty-six-item short-form health survey (SF-36). Biological assays included the measurement of plasma vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), inflammatory markers, including IL-6 and C-reactive protein, and TRP metabolism. Results showed that participants with poor physical health status, as assessed by the SF-36, exhibited lower circulating concentrations of alpha-tocopherol together with increased concentrations of inflammatory markers. Similarly, poor mental health scores on the SF-36 were associated with lower concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, but also with decreased concentrations of TRP. These findings indicate that nutritional status, notably as it relates to vitamin E, is associated with immune function and quality of life in the elderly.

PMID: 19930773 [PubMed - in process]

Vitamin E Research - Study 4

Saudi Med J. 2009 Nov;30(11):1432-8.Palm vitamin E and glucosamine sulphate in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee.

Haflah NH, Jaarin K, Abdullah S, Omar M.

Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. hazla1971@yahoo.com

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of oral palm vitamin E in reducing symptoms of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee compared to oral glucosamine sulphate. METHODS: This open study was carried out at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between March 2006 and November 2007. Seventy-nine patients were recruited to receive either 1.5 g oral glucosamine sulphate or 400 mg oral palm vitamin E for 6 months. Symptoms were assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index and visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Sixty-four patients completed the trial (vitamin E n=33, glucosamine sulfate n=31). After 6 months of treatment, both groups showed a significant improvement in WOMAC scale and significant reduction in the VAS score during standing and walking. There was no significant difference in WOMAC scale and VAS score between the 2 groups. Except for mild allergic reaction and abdominal discomfort in one patient, there were no other serious adverse effects reported. Serum malondialdehyde was significantly higher in the glucosamine group compared to palm vitamin E treated group at the end of the study. Serum of vitamin E was significantly higher in the palm vitamin E group compared to glucosamine. CONCLUSION: The finding of this study suggests that oral palm vitamin E in a dose of 400 mg taken daily has a potential role in reducing symptoms of patients with OA of the knee. It may be just as effective as glucosamine sulphate in reducing the symptoms and free from serious side effects. Further study is required to ascertain the mechanism of action beside its antioxidant effect.

PMID: 19882056 [PubMed - in process]

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