Preface

Vitamin E is a group of fat-soluble antioxidant compounds found in a wide variety of foods. Naturally occurring vitamin E exists in eight chemical forms that have varying levels of biological activity. Good sources of vitamin E include plant oils, nuts and seeds, and cereals and cereal products. Vitamin E deficiency is rare and a balanced diet consisting of different foods ensures that humans get as much vitamin E as their daily needs. Taking high-dose vitamin E supplements is more harmful to human health than beneficial. Much scientific research has been published on vitamin E's potential to promote health, as well as prevent and treat disease. The mechanisms by which vitamin E might provide this protection include its function as an antioxidant and its roles in anti-inflammatory processes, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and immune enhancement. It has been suggested that vitamin E supplementation could be beneficial against coronary artery disease, eye disorders, cognitive decline, and cancer. Moreover, vitamin E is essential for promoting skin health as it is suggested to provide skin-aging reduction, lower the production of pyrimidine dimers, improve melasma, and reduce melanoma progression. This book is mainly focused on vitamin E in health and disease. The readers will receive information on the diverse functions of vitamin E, importance of vitamin E status, and the interaction between vitamin E and several pathological conditions. We believe that readers will gain qualified scientific knowledge and a general overview of the importance of vitamin E in health and different pathological conditions from this book.

#### **Dr. Pinar Erkekoglu**

Professor, Faculty of Pharmacy, Head of Department of Toxicology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

#### **Júlia Scherer Santos**

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

**1**

Section 1

Vitamin E Applications in

Pathological Conditions

## Section 1
