27/09/05 PETALING JAYA, (Bernama) -- The first evidence that palmtocotrienol, an extract from palm oil may protect against stroke injury ofbrain, was revealed at the International Palm Oil Congress (PIPOC) byVitamin E researcher, Professor Chandan K Sen.

He said that neuroprotective (brain health) benefits of palm tocotrienoldietary supplement is a new discovery and links the supplement to more anddiverse uses.

Findings from Sen's latest research studies showed that even short termdietary intake of palm tocotrienol is readily absorbed by major organs -the brain, the heart, the lungs and the skin.

In the past, other forms of dietary tocotrienol did not manage to reachthe major organs and dampened research in tocotrienol as a dietarysupplement, he said in a statement released today at PIPOC 2005, beingheld here.

Vitamin E is a family of related compounds known as tocopherols andtocotrienols and these compounds have been linked to health benefits suchas reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, boosting immunesystem function and acting as an antioxidant.

The research study conducted by Sen was funded by a research grant inexcess of US$1.2 million (about RM4.51 million) from the NationalInstitute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke, a division under the USNational Institute of Health.

Sen is the Director of the Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Director ofthe DNA Microarray & Genetics facility of the Davis Heart & Lung ResearchInstitute, and Director of the Ohio State Comprehensive Wound Center atthe Ohio State University Medical Center.

In laboratory trials conducted by Sen and reported in the Journal ofBiological Chemistry, alpha-tocotrienol was found to be much more potentthan the regular alpha-tocopherol found in most Vitamin E preparations, inprotecting brain cells from glutamate-induced toxicity.

Tocotrienol was also found to cross the blood-brain barrier and protectsneurons, conferring protection against stroke.

"Study results on the neuroprotective properties of palm tocotrienol areencouraging and we hope to conduct large-scale clinical trials," Sen said.

"Attention to the naturally occurring tocotrienols, especially to theirneuroprotective properties, can provide us with a powerful tool to combatneurodegeneration especially stroke, by safe dietary means," said Sen, whonoted that the general misconception is that tocopherols are the onlyvitamin E molecules in nature.

Tocotrienols are concentrated in cereal grains such as oat, barley, andrye, rice bran, with the richest source found in fruits of palms, such aslocally grown oil palms.

Palm tocotrienol is patented by a Malaysian company, Carotech Bhd, andmarketed internationally by another Malaysian company, Hovid Bhd. Itsregistered trademark is Tocomin.

Tocomin is manufactured by Carotech Bhd and is commercially available asnutritional supplement that is 50 percent tocotrienol, the statement said.

It is the main ingredient found in Tocovid SupraBio 50mg and 200mgmanufactured by Hovid Bhd that is available in leading pharmaciesnationwide.

-- BERNAMA