Vitamin E: An Anti-Carcinogen Agent

Abstract

Today, one of the major diseases causing high levels of morbidity and mortality globally is the cancer pandemic. Subsequently, according to the world health organization data, the incidence of cancer is one of the major causes of downward trends in global economy, including western economies. Since most of the causes of the cancer pandemic are related to events in body systems, organs and tissues nutrition has been factored in or identified as one of the strategies to control, reduce cancer incidence and possibly prevent the cancer pandemic. From nutrition standpoint therefore, most anti-oxidants molecules have been recognized as parts of the antidotes to the condition. Amongst the anti-oxidants molecules identified, such as vitamins C and D the anti-oxidant vitamins E are speculated to be more promising as anti-cancer agent compared to others. Vitamin E discovered in 1922, as at that time was thought to be a dietary factor important for reproduction in the rat. At present, vitamin E being the most potent anti-oxidant vitamin has been demonstrated to be the most promising as an anti-carcinogen agent. In the same vein, the tocotrienols’ groups of vitamin E are more successful and thus showed more beneficial inclinations in the control and prevention of the cancer epidemic. This paper is tailored to bring to the limelight some of the studies that support the above stated assertions in respect to vitamin E being an anti-carcinogen agent. This is truly so with the tocotrienols than with the tocopherols as highlighted below in a literature-based fashion using different animal cell lines.