[Membranotropic and pro-oxidative effects of alpha-tocopherol short-chain derivatives]

The development of hemolysis and methemoglobin formation under influence of vitamin E derivatives was investigated on the in vitro model of rat red blood cells. It is established, that the shortening of lateral chains of alpha-tocopherol (T), alpha-tocopheryl acetate (TAc) and alpha-tocopheryl quinone (TQ) to 6 atoms of carbon (accordingly C6-T, C6-TAc, C6-TQ) results in occurrence of hemolysis and prooxidative properties, which are not characteristic of derivatives with native length of isoprenoid side chains. Modifications of chroman ring of short-chain derivatives, in turn, bring the contribution to mechanisms of their action. So, the effect of C6-TAc is caused, basically, physical destabilization of a plasmatic membrane, in C6-TQ effect prevails prooxidative mechanism, while C6-T equally shows membrane-destabilizing and prooxidative properties. Thus the derivatives T with the modified structure chroman nucleus and variability of isoprenoid side chains length show absolutely various properties and in each concrete case should be considered as independent biologically active substances irrespective of T properties.