Topical Vitamin E

**Semantic type:** Pharmacologic Substance|Vitamin

**Definition:** A topical preparation of a natural fat-soluble vitamin with potential antioxidant and cytoprotective activity. As a potent antioxidant and radical scavenger, vitamin E ameliorates free-radical damage to cell membranes, thereby protecting cells from reactive oxygen species and maintaining the integrity of cellular macromolecules. In addition, vitamin E noncompetitively inhibits cyclooxygenase (COX) activity in many tissues, which may decrease inflammation. Vitamin E is a generic name for a group of compounds known as tocopherols and tocotrienols (tocols).