728 XI. VITAMINS E (tocopherols) 



mg. daily per animal increased the rate of mortality and the total mortality 

 of x-irradiated mice. 



{d) Hemolysis. Gyorgy and Rose^^^ were the first to demonstrate that 

 hemoglobinm-ia associated with intravascular hemolysis occurred in alloxan - 

 treated rats. Death usually followed. When tocopherols were included 

 in the diet, the hemolysis disappeared, although the diabetic symptoms 

 were not relieved. ^^^ These investigators later found that dialuric acid, 

 which is related to alloxan, and similar compounds (alloxantin, nhihydrin), 

 also caused hemolysis of the red blood cells. ^^'^'^^^ a-Tocopherol is believed 

 to prevent the red blood cells from injury by acting as an antioxidant, 

 under which condition it probably counteracts a free radicle or peroxide 

 formed as an intermediate in the oxidation/reduction system of dialuric 

 acid and alloxan. ^^''•^^^ Gordon and co-workers^^^ noted that, in the case 

 of both premature and full-term infants, a-tocopherol reversed the sus- 

 ceptibility of the erythrocytes to hydrogen peroxide and consequent 

 hemolysis. In children suffering from faulty fat absorption, a marked sus- 

 ceptibility of the erythrocytes to H2O2 was observed, which could l)e 

 reversed by feeding D-a-tocopherol acetate. Gyorgy et al.^^'^ demonstrated 

 that the blood cells of newborn infants were hemolyzed by dilute solutions 

 of hydrogen peroxide in vitro as well as in vivo; this hemolysis could be 

 prevented in either case by tocopherols. However, when mixed tocoph- 

 erols were given to the mother in a large dose (500 mg. daily) during 

 the last weeks of pregnancy, there was no alteration in the hemolysis reac- 

 tion of the newborn. An increased tendency to hemolysis of the red blood 

 cells when exposed to hydrogen peroxide was observed by Mason^^^ in 

 vitamin E-deficient monkeys, in premature infants,^'^in full-term infants, ^-^^ 

 and also in new born rats.'^^ Rose and Gyorgy ^^° pointed out that there is 

 a specific relationship between the vitamin E-activity of a substance and 

 its ability to protect the blood cells of vitamin E-deficient rats from hemoh'- 

 sis as a result of dialuric acid. The most effective of the tocopherols in 

 affording protection was found to be a-tocopherol.^*° In spite of these 

 effects of the tocopherols upon hemolysis, it is not believed that the vitamin 



S32 p. Gyorgy and C. S. Rose, Science, 108, 716-718 (1948). 



"3 C. S. Rose and P. Gyorgy, /. Nutrition, 39, 529-541 (1949). 



"^ C. S. Rose and P. Gyorgy, Blood, 5, 1062-1074 (1950). 



335 p. Gyorgy and C. S. Rose, Ann. New York Acad. Sci., 52, 231-239 (1949). 



336 H. H. Gordon, R. H. Davis, and K. Morganstein, Federation Proc, 12, 415 (J 953). 



337 p. Gyorgy, G. Cogan, and C. S. Rose, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med., 81, 536-538 

 (1952). 



338 H. H. Gordon and J. P. De Metry, Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med., 79, 446-450 (1952). 



339 P. Gyorgy, G. M. Cogan, and C. S. Rose, Am. J. Diseases Children, 82, 237-238 

 (1951). 



3«> C. S. Rose and P. Gyorgy, Am. J. Physiol., 168, 414-420 (1952). 



