Abstract
VITAMIN E (α-tocopherol) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid) react rapidly with organic free radicals, and it is widely accepted that the antioxidant properties of these compounds are responsible in part for their biological activity1–5. Tissue vitamin C levels are often considerably greater than those of vitamin E, for example in liver the values are approximately 2 mM and 0.02 mM, respectively. Nevertheless, vitamin E is considerably more lipophilic than vitamin C, and in biomembranes has been found to be the more potent antioxidant, particularly with respect to lipid peroxidation; penetration to a precise site in the membrane may be an important feature of the protection against highly reactive radicals6. Tappel has suggested that the two vitamins act synergistically, vitamin E acting as the primary antioxidant and the resulting vitamin E radical then reacting with vitamin C to regenerate vitamin E7. We now report direct observation of this interaction, which we feel may be an important feature in the maintenance of vitamin E levels in tissues.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
The Vitamins Vol. 5, 2nd edn (eds Sebrell, W. H. & Harris, R. S.) 293 (Academic, New York, 1972).
Bielski, B. H. J., Comstock, D. A. & Bowen, R. A. J. Am. chem. Soc. 93, 5624–5629 (1971).
Redpath, J. L. & Willson, R. L. Int. J. Radiat. Biol. 23, 51–65 (1973).
Schuler, R. H. Radiat. Res. 69, 417–433 (1977).
Tocopherol, Oxygen and Biomembranes (eds de Duve, C. & Hayaishi, O.) (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1978).
Slater, T. F. in Biochemical Mechanisms of Liver Injury (ed. Slater, T. F.) 745–801 (Academic, London, 1978).
Tappel, A. L. Geriatrics 23, 97–105 (1968).
Packer, J. E., Slater, T. F. & Willson, R. L. Life Sci. 23, 2617–2620 (1978).
Land, E. J., Porter, G. & Strachan, E. Trans. Faraday Soc. 57, 1885 (1961).
Schneider, W. & Staudinger, H. Biochim. biophys. Acta 96, 157–159 (1965).
Tappel, A. L. Vitams Horm. 20, 493 (1962).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PACKER, J., SLATER, T. & WILLSON, R. Direct observation of a free radical interaction between vitamin E and vitamin C. Nature 278, 737–738 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/278737a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/278737a0
This article is cited by
-
Changes in the growth, ileal digestibility, intestinal histology, behavior, fatty acid composition of the breast muscles, and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chickens by dietary inclusion of safflower oil and vitamin C
BMC Veterinary Research (2021)
-
Antioxidant defence system based oxidative stress mitigation through dietary jamun tree leaf in experimentally infected snubnose pompano, Trachinotus blochii
Fish Physiology and Biochemistry (2021)
-
Key nutritional factors and interactions during larval development of pikeperch (Sander lucioperca)
Scientific Reports (2019)
-
An iron-deficient diet during development induces oxidative stress in relation to age and gender in Wistar rats
Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry (2017)
-
Synergistic effect of lecithins for tocopherols: formation and antioxidant effect of the phosphatidylethanolamine—l-ascorbic acid condensate
European Food Research and Technology (2017)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.