Production of LLU-alpha following an oral administration of gamma-tocotrienol or gamma-tocopherol to rats.

An oral administration of gamma-tocotrienol (gamma-T3) or gamma-tocopherol (gamma-Toc) to male rats caused an increase of the concentration of 2,7,8-trimethyl-2-(beta-carboxyethyl)-6-hydroxy chroman (LLU-alpha, gamma-CEHC), a natriuretic compound, in plasma with a T(max) of 9 h. The configuration at C-2 of LLU-alpha produced from gamma-T3 or gamma-Toc was assigned as S-form by an HPLC equipped with a chiral column. These data indicated that LLU-alpha was produced not only from gamma-Toc but also gamma-T3, without racemization at C-2 in rats.