ABSTRACT
Vitamin E is widely associated with lipids in nature, especially monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In this context, it plays an important role in minimizing and, in some cases, preventing the oxidation of susceptible lipid molecules. Although this antioxidant function has been considered to be the primary role of vitamin E for several decades, it is becoming increasingly clear that this antioxidant vitamin also has a range of other important functions in cell biology. This multiplicity of function is due, in part, to the range of molecules that comprise the vitamin E family, namely, α, β, δ, and γ-tocopherols and α, β, δ, and γ-tocotrienols. These eight isoforms and some of their respective metabolites perform a wide range of roles within the body.
