Gamma-Tocotrienol Aids Cardio Protection

EDISON, N.J.—Carotech Inc. announced a new study published in AJP-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 2008, proves gamma-tocotrienol is the most potent form of tocotrienol for cardiovascular protection.
Researchers at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine used various isomers of tocotrienols, supplied by Carotech Inc. to study the effects and mechanism of tocotrienols’cardioprotective function especially on their ability to improve post-ischemic ventricular function and reduce myocardial infarct size in rats.
The results showed all forms of tocotrienols used (the palm tocotrienol complex and individual tocotrienol isomers) were able to provide significant cardio protection. However, gamma-tocotrienol was the most cardio protective of all the isomers. This is an interesting finding with far reaching consequence as the gamma-tocotrienol form (including gamma-tocopherol) is most abundantly found in our diet.
Gamma-tocotrienol was the most effective in: improving post-ischemic ventricular function, reducing myocardial infarct size, reducing the percentage of apoptotic cardiomyocytes, partially protecting the proteasome during ischemia, producing the least MDA content in heart and significantly enhancing Akt Phosphorylation (improve survival).
Alpha-tocotrienol was the second most protective in improving the effects shown above. Interestingly, delta-tocotrienol was the least potent. Except from being able to inhibit deactivation of proteasomes, delta-tocotrienol did not show significant cardio protection. The results indicate, contrary to popular belief, delta-tocotrienol is not the most cardio-protective form of tocotrienol.
The cardio protection conferred by tocotrienols does not appear to be potentiated by their antioxidant abilities, but likely to be caused by the different effects individual tocotrienol isomers have on the c-Src inhibition and/or proteasome protection. An earlier study has demonstrated the relationship of proteasome in tocotrienol-mediated cardio protection. The researcher suggested that during ischemia, the partial deactivation of proteasome by tocotrienols especially the gamma-tocotrienol and alpha-tocotrienol isomers results in effective removal of active Src (which generates pro-death signal) and at the same time, increases the Akt phosphorylation (which generates pro-survival signal). This creates a balance between cell survival and cell death signals. Delta-tocotrienol on the other hand, completely inhibited the proteasome dysfunction, resulting in the least Akt phosphorylation and thus low survival signals.
The researchers also concluded that tocotrienols have much higher cardio-protective properties compared to regular alpha-tocopherol vitamin E.
“This study has proven that gamma-tocotrienol and alpha-tocotrienol have the highest cardioprotective function but not delta-tocotrienol. Similar to what is found in nature (palm oil, rice bran oil, wheat, etc.) Carotech’s Tocomin® has the highest levels of gamma- and alpha-tocotrienol, making it the preferred choice of mixed tocotrienols for nutritional supplements for heart health,” explained WH Leong, vice president, Carotech Inc.

www.Carotech.net, www.Tocotrienol.org