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Sesamin (a compound from sesame oil) increases tocopherol levels in rats fed ad libitum
Author(s) -
KamalEldin Afaf,
Pettersson Dan,
Appelqvist LarsÅke
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02537023
Subject(s) - sesamin , lipidology , tocopherol , clinical chemistry , sesame oil , lignan , food science , chemistry , sesame seed , zoology , biology , antioxidant , vitamin e , biochemistry , stereochemistry , organic chemistry , raw material , horticulture , sesamum
Six groups of rats were fed diets low, but adequate, in α‐tocopherol but high in γ‐tocopherol. The six diets differed only in their contents (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 g/kg, respectively) of sesamin, a lignan from sesame oil. After four weeks of ad libitum feeding, the rats were sacrificed and the concentrations of α‐ and γ‐tocopherols were measured in the plasma, livers, and lungs. Sesamin‐feeding increased γ‐tocopherol and γ‐/α‐tocopherol ratios in the plasma ( P <0.05), liver ( P <0.001), and lungs ( P <0.001). The increase was non‐significant for α‐tocopherol. Thus, sesamin appears to spare γ‐tocopherol in rat plasma and tissues, and this effect persists in the presence of α‐tocopherol, a known competitor to γ‐tocopherol. This suggests that the bioavailability of γ‐tocopherol is enhanced in phenol‐containing diets as compared with purified diets.