ABSTRACT
Almost since the discovery of vitamin E in 1922 (1), there have been disagreements concerning the biologic activities of the various tocopherols and tocotrienols. αTocopherol is found in highest concentrations in animal plasma and tissues. Currently, only α-tocopherol has been demonstrated to reverse human vitamin E deficiency symptoms; it is the only form of vitamin E that meets the year 2000 vitamin E recommended dietary allowance (RDA) (2). However, in the plant kingdom, a variety of compounds that have vitamin E antioxidant activity have been described. The latest of these was described in plankton and cold water fishes that consume plankton (3).
