Acta Medica Medianae
Vol. 43
Number 4, Octobar, 2004
UDK 61
YU ISSN 0365-4478

Concat:
Jasmina Tomin
Medical Faculty
81 Dr Zoran Djindjić Street
18000 Niš
Serbia and Montenegro
 

Copyright 2004 by Faculty  of Medicine, University of Niš

VITAMINS A AND E AS ANTIOXIDANTS

Jasmina Tomin*, Vladmila Bojanić*, Marko Jevrić*, Jelena Živanov-Čurlis*, Žarko Mitić* and  Stevan Glogovac**

Medical Faculty of Niš*
Medical center of Leskovac**

Vitamin A is involved in metabolism of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. It affects tissue respiration and energetic metabolism. The speed of oxidation prosses of citric acid cycle and process of oxidative phosphorilation are influenced by vitamin A. Anticarcinogenic effect of vitamin A is believed to exist due to β-karoten, which exerts antioxidative properties.

Vitamin E proved to be effective in preventing lipid peroxidation and other radical driven oxidative events. Vitamin E acts mainly by being incorporated into cell membranes, thereby protecting them against free radical attack in the lipid phase, especially the lipoperoxyl radical, but also against O₂⁻, singlet oxygen and OH. The antioxidant activity of vitamin E has persuaded many groups to study its ability to prevent chronic disease, especially those belived to have an oxidative stress component such as cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Acta Medica Medianae 2004; 43(4): 49–54.

    Key words: vitamin A, vitamin E, antioxidants