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Updated: Sep 27, 2026
Quantitative Analysis of Dietary Vitamin A Metabolites in Murine Ocular and Non-Ocular Tissues Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
Published on: December 27, 2024
Measurement of vitamin E metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography during high-dose administration of
T Morinobu1, S Yoshikawa, K Hamamura
1Department of Pediatrics, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan. ped030@poh.osaka-med.ac.jp
Method:
alpha-Tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol are metabolized into 2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (alpha-CEHC) and 2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(2'-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxychroman (gamma-CEHC), respectively. We analyzed alpha- and gamma-CEHC concentrations in human serum and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography during administration of alpha-tocopherol. Fourteen healthy adult male volunteers received 1,200 IU per day of RRR-alpha-tocopherol for 28 days. Blood and urine samples were obtained on days 0, 14, 28, and 56.
Results:
During alpha-tocopherol administration, the plasma gamma-tocopherol concentration decreased significantly, but there was marked elevation of the alpha-tocopherol concentration. Increased concentration of alpha-CEHC and gamma-CEHC in both serum and urine indicated the acceleration of vitamin E metabolism.
Conclusion:
High-dose administration of alpha-tocopherol caused an increase of gamma-tocopherol metabolism, which might have caused a decrease of the plasma gamma-tocopherol concentration.