Effect of alpha-tocopherol on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in fibrosarcoma bearing rats.

The anticarcinogenic activity of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) was tried in fibrosarcoma induced rats through its antioxidative potential. The rate of formation of malondialdehyde (MDA), the end product of lipid peroxidation was analysed in alpha-tocopherol (400 mg/kg body weight) treated and untreated fibrosarcoma bearing rats with respective controls. The levels of non-enzymic antioxidants like, glutathione and vitamin E, and enzymic antioxidants viz., catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were assayed as well. Significantly increased (p < 0.001) level of lipid peroxide was observed with concomitant decreases in the level of enzymic and non-enzymic antioxidants in fibrosarcoma bearing rats when compared with control animals. In alpha-tocopherol supplemented animals, the corrected level of these parameters were observed likely to near normal values. Thus, alpha-tocopherol can be accepted to pose first line of defense mechanism against excessively formed reactive species due to impaired antioxidant systems in fibrosarcoma conditions, that cause membrane damage leading to deleterious effects.