The effects of vitamin E on immune regulation after thermal injury

Studies were conducted on four groups of rats, each group consisting of 10 rats with burn + vitamin E, burn + saline solution, control + vitamin E and control + saline solution. Before and after burning 250 mg (2 cm3) of vitamin E was given intramuscularly. On the same days 2 cm3 of saline solution was given to the controls. The rats were burned over 30 per cent of their body surface area and then inoculated intraperitoneally with 40 units of tetanus toxoid. Complement fixation and acid phosphatase tests were carried out on the days 15 and 21 postburn. On day 21, the rats were killed and the spleens removed and weighted. In the groups that received vitamin E, the spleen weight and complement fixation test increased significantly while the acid phosphatase in serum decreased. In the clinical study, 17 burned patients with over 20 per cent deep partial or full skin thickness burns and eight healthy persons were studied. Nine of the 17 burned patients received vitamin E on 3 consecutive days, on day 4 blood was taken for analysis. The results showed that the number of T-cells decreased significantly in burn patients (P less than 0.05) whereas they increased significantly (P less than 0.05) in burn patients who received vitamin E. It is concluded from these experimental and clinical studies that vitamin E stimulates both cellular and humoral immunity. Therefore, the use of vitamin E in combination with conventional therapy in burn patients can be recommended.