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α- and γ-tocotrienols are metabolized to carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman derivatives and excreted in human urine

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Lipids

Abstract

Limited information is available regarding metabolism of vitamin E forms, especially the tocotrienols. Carboxyethyl-hydroxychromans (α-and γ-CEHC) are human urinary metabolites of α- and γ-tocopherols, respectively. To evaluate whether tocotrienols are also metabolized and excreted as urinary CEHC, urine was monitored following tocotrienol supplementation. Complete (24 h) urine collections were obtained for 2 d prior to (baseline), the day of, and 2 d after human subjects (n=6) ingested tocotrienol supplements. The subjects consumed 125 mg γ-tocotrienyl acetate the first week, then the next week 500 mg; then 125 mg α-tocotrienyl acetate was administered the third week, followed by 500 mg the fourth week. Urinary α- and γ-CEHC were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Urinary γ-CEHC levels rose about four- to sixfold in response to the two doses of γ-tocotrienol and then returned to baseline the following day. Significant (P<0.0001) increases in urinary α-CEHC were observed only following ingestion of 500 mg α-tocotrienyl acetate. Typically, 1–2% of α-tocotrienyl acetates or 4–6% of γ-tocotrienyl acetates were recovered as their respective urinary CEHC metabolites. A γ-CEHC excretion time course showed an increase in urinary γ-CEHC at 6 h and a peak at 9 h following ingestion of 125 mg γ-tocotrienyl acetate. In summary, tocotrienols, like tocopherols, are metabolized to CEHC; however, the quantities excreted in human urine are small in relation to dose size.

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Abbreviations

CEHC:

carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

α-T3:

α-tocotrienol

α-T3:

γ-tocotrienol

α-TTP:

α-tocopherol transfer protein

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Food Management, Oregon State University, 97331-6512, Corvallis, Oregon

    James Ridlington & Maret G. Traber

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, University of California School of Medicine at Davis, 95817, Sacramento, California

    Maret G. Traber

  3. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University, 571 Weniger Hall, 97331, Corvallis, OR

    John K. Lodge, Scott Leonard, Heather Vaule & Maret G. Traber

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  1. John K. Lodge
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  2. James Ridlington
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  3. Scott Leonard
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  4. Heather Vaule
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  5. Maret G. Traber
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Lodge, J.K., Ridlington, J., Leonard, S. et al. α- and γ-tocotrienols are metabolized to carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman derivatives and excreted in human urine. Lipids 36, 43–48 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0666-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-001-0666-z

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