Tocopherylquinone and tocopherylhydroquinone

Abstract

Tocopherylquinone (TQ) is formed in the antioxidant action of tocopherol (T). TQ was found in human subjects and it was observed that the ratio αTQ/ αT increased in general with increasing oxidative stress. TQ is reduced to tocopheryl hydroquinone (TQH₂) but the ratio TQH₂/TQ in vivo has not been reported. TQH₂ acts as a potent radical-scavenging antioxidant. αTQH₂ is more reactive toward radicals than ubiquinol, a reduced form of coenzyme Q, and αT. The overall efficacy of TQH₂ as an antioxidant is determined by the fate of semiquinone radical formed from TQH₂ as well as the reactivity toward oxygen radicals. Partly substituted γTQ, but not αTQ, exerts cytotoxicity by both redox cycling and reaction with protein thiols and glutathione.