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Key Documents

T3634

Sigma-Aldrich

(+)-α-Tocopherol

from vegetable oil, Type V, ~1000 IU/g

Synonym(s):

2,5,7,8-Tetramethyl-2-(4′,8′,12′-trimethyltridecyl)-6-chromanol, 5,7,8-Trimethyltocol, D-α-Tocopherol, Vitamin E

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About This Item

Empirical Formula (Hill Notation):
C29H50O2
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
430.71
Beilstein:
4712525
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352205
eCl@ss:
34058016
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.79

biological source

vegetable oil

Quality Level

type

Type V

form

viscous liquid

specific activity

~1000 IU/g

color

clear yellow to red

refractive index

n20/D 1.505 (lit.)

bp

200-220 °C/0.1 mmHg (lit.)

density

0.95 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)

storage temp.

−20°C

SMILES string

CC(C)CCC[C@@H](C)CCC[C@@H](C)CCC[C@]1(C)CCc2c(C)c(O)c(C)c(C)c2O1

InChI

1S/C29H50O2/c1-20(2)12-9-13-21(3)14-10-15-22(4)16-11-18-29(8)19-17-26-25(7)27(30)23(5)24(6)28(26)31-29/h20-22,30H,9-19H2,1-8H3/t21-,22-,29-/m1/s1

InChI key

GVJHHUAWPYXKBD-IEOSBIPESA-N

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General description

α-Tocopherol is synthesized from γ-tocopherol by the action of enzyme γ-tocopherol methyltransferase. It is the major form of Vitamin E in human plasma. It is present in sunflower seed oil.

Application

(+)-α-Tocopherol has been used:
  • as a food supplement for juvenile cobia fish
  • to evaluate its protective effect on bisphenol A induced oxidative stress in rats
  • to test its chemopreventive efficacy in estrogen-mediated mammary cancer rats

Biochem/physiol Actions

α-Tocopherol is essential for the photosynthesis in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Supplementation with α-Tocopherol decreases lipid peroxidation and platelet aggregation. It inhibits protein kinase C and may play key role in gene regulation.
Tocopherols (TCP) (vitamin E) are a series (α, β, γ and δ) of chiral organic molecules that vary in their degree of methylation of the phenol moiety of the chromanol ring. Tocopherols are lipid soluble anti-oxidants that protect cell membranes from oxidative damage. α-Tocopherol is the form of tocopherol preferentially absorbed by homo sapiens. Various isofroms and analogues of tocopherol have opposing and differentiated regulatory activities in vivo.

Packaging

Packaged under argon in a sealed ampule.

Other Notes

Mixed constitutional (α, β, γ, δ) isomers.

Quality

Approx. 670 mg D-α-tocopherol per gram. The non-α content is typically between 5-35 mg/g

Caution

Subject to air oxidation.

Physical properties

This product is miscible with chloroform or ethanol. It is practically insoluble in water but it is miscible with ether, acetone, and vegetable oils. It is unstable to alkaline conditions.

Storage Class Code

10 - Combustible liquids

WGK

WGK 1

Flash Point(F)

230.0 °F - closed cup

Flash Point(C)

110 °C - closed cup

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

Certificates of Analysis (COA)

Search for Certificates of Analysis (COA) by entering the products Lot/Batch Number. Lot and Batch Numbers can be found on a product’s label following the words ‘Lot’ or ‘Batch’.

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Taro Sakamoto et al.
Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition, 66(2), 116-123 (2020-04-02)
Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) is a unique antioxidant enzyme that directly reduces the phospholipid hydroperoxides (PLOOH) generated in biomembranes using glutathione as the reductant. We have previously reported that the Caenorhabditis elegans gpx-quad mutant, which lacks all homologous genes of
Influence of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-lipoic acid on bisphenol-A-induced oxidative damage in liver and ovarian tissue of rats
Avci B, et al.
Toxicology and Industrial Health, 32(8), 1381-1390 (2016)
Differential gene regulation and tumor-inhibitory activities of alpha-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherols in estrogen-mediated mammary carcinogenesis
Gupta S, et al.
Cancer Prevention Research (Philadelphia, Pa.), 10(12), 694-703 (2017)
alpha-Tocopherol is essential for acquired chill-light tolerance in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803
Yang Y, et al.
Journal of Bacteriology, 190(5), 1554-1560 (2008)
The role of alpha-tocopherol in preventing disease: from epidemiology to molecular events
Azzi A, et al.
Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 24(6), 325-336 (2003)

Articles

Antioxidants protect biological systems from oxidative damage produced by oxygen-containing free radicals and from redoxactive transition metal ions such as iron, copper, and cadmium.

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