Differences in the plasma transport and tissue concentrations of tocopherols and tocotrienols: observations in humans and hamsters

Abstract

Certain aspects of tocopherol and tocotrienol absorption, plasma transport, and tissue distribution were examined in humans and hamsters. Plasma transport differed in that tocopherols were found primarily in low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein in association with plasma surface components, whereas tocotrienols disappeared from plasma with chylomicron clearance. In keeping with transport by triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, tocotrienols were deposited in conjunction with triglycerides in the adipose tissue of hamsters. In hamsters, tocopherols were the only tocol readily detected in all tissues, except adipose during tocotrienol supplementation. In fasting humans, the plasma tocotrienol concentration was not significantly increased after tocotrienol supplementation, whereas the platelet concentration of delta-tocotrienol doubled. Furthermore, tocotrienol intake did not appear to modulate the plasma cholesterol concentration in normolipemic hamsters. Thus, the transport, tissue concentration, and relative biologic function of tocopherol and tocotrienol appear somewhat disparate and possibly unrelated.