Protective effect of α-tocotrienol against free radical-induced impairment of erythrocyte deformability

Abstract

α-Tocotrienol (α-T3) has been suggested to protect cellular membranes against free radical damage. This study was done to estimate the effect of α-T3 on free radical-induced impairment of erythrocyte deformability by comparing it to α-tocopherol (α-T). An erythrocyte suspension containing 2,2′-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) was forced to flow through microchannels with an equivalent diameter of 7 μm for measuring erythrocyte deformability. A higher concentration of AAPH caused a marked decrease in erythrocyte deformability with concomitant increase of membranous lipid peroxidation. Treatment of erythrocytes with α-T or α-T3 suppressed the impairment of erythrocyte deformability as well as membranous lipid peroxidation and they also increased erythrocyte deformability even in the absence of AAPH. In these cases, the protecting effect of α-T3 was significantly higher than that of α-T. We emphasize that higher incorporating activity of α-T3 into erythrocyte membranes seems to be the most important reason for higher protection against erythrocyte oxidation and impairment its deformability. © 2002, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.