By David Liu, Ph.D. and editing by Aimee Keenan-Greene
Thursday July 07, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study has found maintaining high levels of certain types of vitamin E may help prevent strokes or mitigate the damage induced by a stroke.
Alpha-tocotrienol (TCT), one of the vitamin E tested in the study, helped clear the oxidized glutathimone or glutathimione disulfie (GSSG).
Glutathione is a reducing compound in the liver that helps detoxify many toxic chemicals. This compound can be oxidized under stress, a condition in which a stroke may occur.
Dr. Han-A Park and colleagues of Ohio State University found build-up of the GSSG, or oxidized glutathione, kills neurons. The use of alpha-tocotrienol can help reduce the levels of this compound preventing cells from being killed when a stroke strikes.
The study was published online June 30, 2011 in the journal Stroke.
During in vivo testing, oral supplementation of alpha-tocotrienol was found to help prevent strokes and stroke induced injury in rodents.
Dr. Park, who conducted the research on how alpha-tocotrienol reduces the risk of stroke for his doctoral degree, also found that multi-drug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) participates in the glutathione-involved detoxification process.
When alpha-tocotrienol was supplemented, MRP1 expression was increased. And the researchers also found that oral alpha-TCT was able to regulate the production of of microRNA (miR)-199a-5p in brain tissue post stroke. And MRP1 is believed to be a target of microRNA (miR)-199a-5p.
Dr. Park and colleagues say alpha-tocotrienol is the most potent form of vitamin E that protect neurons from being injuried by an event like stroke.
The age-adjusted stroke death rate for U.S. residents ages 35 and older was 121/100,000 during 1991-1998, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The study sheds light on the importance of both vitamin E and glutathione. Food Consumers should consider having sufficient vitamin E and glutathione in their diet or supplements.
Reference:
Title: Natural Vitamin E α-Tocotrienol Protects Against Ischemic Stroke by Induction of Multidrug Resistance-Associated Protein 1
Authors: Han-A Park, PhD; Natalia Kubicki, BS; Surya Gnyawali, PhD; Yuk Cheung Chan, PhD; Sashwati Roy, PhD; Savita Khanna, PhD; Chandan K. Sen, PhD
Affiliation: From the Department of Surgery, Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
Publication: Published online June 30, 2011 in Stroke
photo credit: wikipedia
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