Tocopherols and tocotrienols which are collectively known as tocochromanols, belongs to the group of vitamin E compounds.
Tocotrienols occupy a special place due to their unique chemical structure and properties. They are generally located in seeds and fruits; however, there is a high variation in the relative abundance for each tocotrienols homologue.
Tocotrienols are a group of four amphipathic molecules (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) that differ in the number and position of the methyl groups in the polar head.
Delta-tocotrienols tends to be the predominant form found in seeds, followed by alpha and gamma forms, whereas gamma-tocotrienols is the predominant form in fruits.
The gamma-tocotrienols is the most prevalent form in nature and it also appears to be the form with strongest potential for dietary health benefits.
Most tocotrienols from market are derived form rice bran oil and palm oil. Presently marketed forms of tocotrienols contain mixed tocotrienols in their unesterified forms.
The major sources of tocotrienols are plant, oils, and the richest sources are palm oil, rice bran oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil.
Tocotrienols are not found in the green parts of plants but, rather in the bran and germ fraction of certain seeds and cereals. All of the natural tocotrienols are fat-soluble, water insoluble oils.
What is tocotrienols?
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