In vitro response of erythrocytes to alpha-tocopherol exposure

Abstract

It has been studied the in vitro direct action of alpha-tocopherol on osmotic fragility of red blood cells (RBCs) as well as its protective role in presence of two oxidizing drugs: phenylhydrazine hydrochloride or hydrogen peroxide. Incubation of RBCs with dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, at doses near to the plasma concentration in rat (6 micrograms/ml) did not modify the osmotic fragility of RBCs but increasing doses of tocopherol induces changes in osmotic fragility which directly parallelled the vitamin E concentrations. In addition, tocopherol did not protect RBCs from the hemolytic effect of the oxidizing drugs tested. Data from osmotic fragility after preincubation with dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate and later incubation with these oxidizing drugs point to a possible toxic effect of higher dose vitamin E supplementation rather to a protective role on membrane stability.