IVithamin E yivithamin engenavumba kwaye engenancasa etyheli enyibilikayo yamafutha ane-antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory kunye neminye imisebenzi. Ngokwesakhiwo sayo seemolekyuli, inokwahlulwa ibe ngamacandelo amabini: tocopherols kunye tocotrienols. Udidi ngalunye lwahlulwe lwaba ziindidi ezine ngokusekwe kwindawo yemethyl kwiringi yechromophore: alpha, beta, gamma, kunye nedelta [1-2]. Iingqungquthela ezinxulumene ne-tocopherols, ezifana ne-tocotrienols, zinomsebenzi othile xa i-substituents ihluke, kodwa umsebenzi we-tocopherols uyancipha kakhulu.

Zombini i-tocopherol kunye ne-tocotrienol zineempembelelo ezinamandla ze-antioxidant. Ngenxa yomsebenzi weprotheyini yokudlulisa i-alpha tocopherol (i-alpha TP) kunye ne-tocopherol i-protein ebopha i-tocopherol (i-TBP) emzimbeni, i-tocopherol ifumaneka ngokulula kwaye isetyenziswe ngumzimba. Ngoko ke, i-alpha tocopherol ithathwa njengeyona nto ibonakalisa umsebenzi we-antioxidant we-vitamin E emzimbeni. I-Alpha tocopherol, ene-molecular formula ye-C29H50O2 kunye ne-molecular weight ye-430.5, ihlulwe ibe ziindidi ezimbini ngokusekelwe kumthombo wayo: indalo kunye ne-synthetic, echazwe njengohlobo lwe-D kunye nohlobo lwe-L, ngokulandelanayo. I-alpha tocopherol yendalo ikwi-R conformation (RRR), ngelixa i-alpha tocopherol eyenziwe ngobuchule ikwi-RS conformation (RRR, RSR, RRS, RSS, SRR, SSR, SRS, SSS). I-conformation inxulumene nomsebenzi wayo, kwaye izifundo zifumene ukuba i-alpha tocopherol kuphela ene-2R okanye ngaphezulu ingasetyenziswa kwaye ifunxwe ngumzimba. Ke ngoko, ialpha tocopherol yendalo inexabiso eliphezulu lesondlo kwaye ikhuselekile kunealpha tocopherol eyenziwe ngobuchule.