Vitamin E Activity of Alpha-Tocopherylhydroquinone and Muscular Dystrophy

Abstract

The disuccinate of alpha-tocopherylhydroquinone was tested for antisterility activity by daily intraven. injns. in pregnant, vit. E deficient rats. This antidystrophic compound was found to be devoid of the antisterility activity associated with alpha-tocopherol. Moreover, the injn. of dystrophic rabbits with large curative doses of alpha-tocopherylhydroquinone, or its disuccinate, did not lead to the appearance of tocopherol in the serum. Both of these observations indicate that alpha-tocopherylhydroquinone is not converted to alpha-tocopherol to a significant extent in the body. It appears therefore that alpha-tocopherylhydroquinone is an antidystrophic factor or vit. per se. Alpha-tocopherol, on the other hand, is the antisterility vitamin. It may possess antidystrophic activity as such, or alternatively, it may only be the provit for alpha-tocopherylhydroquinone. The separation of antidystrophic from antisterility activity is discussed with relation to the function of vit. E in muscular dystrophy.