[Heart muscle mitochondria function in alpha-tocopherol deficient rabbits. (author's transl)].

In the mitochondria of alpha-tocopherol deficient rabbit hearts (30 days) there was a close correlation between the decline in respiration and the incidence of membrane peroxidation. The intraperitoneal injections of alpha-tocopherol (25 mg/kg) from the the 28th day to the 30th day to the vitamin E deficient rabbits prevented a decline in either the mitochondrial respiratory or in the lipid peroxidation breakdown. The addition of alpha-tocopherol "in vitro" to the alpha-tocopherol deficient cardiac mitochondria failed to improve their function. As a result of this study, the possibility that the alpha-tocopherol may protect the cardiac mitochondrial activity by preserving their integrity appears to be consolidated.