A variety of methods have been developed by various investigators for the analysis of vitamin E in animal tissues, but many of the earlier procedures involving column chromotography and gas–liquid chromatography are rather complicated and time consuming. The most commonly used methods are based on the saponification and solvent extraction of lipids, the removal or destruction of interfering substances, and the determination of tocopherol spectrophotometricaily or spectrofluorometrically. The methods chosen are for common animal tissues, such as blood and organ tissues. A high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for vitamin E has been introduced as a method of choice, but HPLC equipment is expensive and not readily available in every laboratory. The standard colorimetric and fluorometric methods are easily carried out using common laboratory equipment and are often adequate for routine analysis of vitamin E in animal tissues for biological research and for clinical testing. For more sophisticated and sensitive detection of commonly occurring α-tocopherol along with trace amounts of other forms of tocopherol and tocotrienol in animal tissues, the HPLC method is highly recommended.
Copyright © 1984 Published by Elsevier Inc.