Radiation-Induced Heart Disease Benefited From Tocomin SupraBio

14 Aug 2013 --- A new study using rat model showed that Tocomin SupraBio better protects irradiated hearts against heart disease than Pentoxyfylline (PTX)

Exposure to radiation especially cancer patients who received radiotherapy treatment for breast cancer or lung cancer, are at risk for radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD). Tocotrienols have been reported as a potent radioprotector in the previous in-vitro studies carried out at the US Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Bethesda, MD.

In this particular study, the researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences examined the effects of PTX alone or in combination with Tocomin SupraBio, given 3 months after irradiation on heart protection. They employed image-guided irradiation to deliver 21 Gy of radiation precisely to the rats’ heart so as to avoid exposing the lungs and spinal cord.

Rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups of 15 rats each :

- Group 1 acted as control and received regular chow that contained a small amount of alpha-tocopherol to support rat’s health
- Group 2 received local heart irradiation and regular chow
- Group 3 received local heart irradiation and 3 months later fed with PTX-enriched chow
- Group 4 received local heart irradiation and 3 months later fed with PTX-enriched and Tocomin SupraBio chow

Tocomin SupraBio is a bioenhanced natural full spectrum palm tocotrienol complex. In the study, Tocomin SupraBio was given at 43 mg/kg body weight/day. The daily dose of PTX was 95-110 mg/kg body weight/day. Alpha-tocopherol (as contained in Tocomin SupraBio and chow) was at 15-17 mg/kg body weight/day. These rats were then monitored for another 3 months (total of 6 months after irradiation).

Treatment with PTX alone did not appear to improve cardiac functions of irradiated heart with 35% animals demonstrated arrhythmia. The researchers found that Tocomin SupraBio reduces myocardial injury by reducing the number of mast cells and macrophages in irradiated hearts, supporting tocotrienols’ potent anti-inflammatory property. 

In addition, supplementation with Tocomin SupraBio significantly increased plasma levels of all vitamin E forms compared to controls even though in the presence of alpha-tocopherol. Hence, with the SupraBio System (a patented self-emulsifying delivery system), it once again proves that tocopherols do not interfere with tocotrienols’ absorption.  

“The heart is especially vulnerable to radiation-induced side effects and recently it was reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that women with breast cancer who have undergone radiotherapy are at high risk for ischemic heart disease. This study shows that Tocomin SupraBio exerts better protection on the heart and cardiac functions by reducing myocardial inflammatory infiltration after irradiation,” says WH Leong, Vice President of Carotech Inc.