Vitamin E, essential for human health, is widely used worldwide for therapeutic or dietary reasons. The differences in the metabolism and excretion of the multiple vitamin E forms are presented in this review. The important steps that influence the kinetics of each form and the distribution and processing of vitamin E forms by the liver are considered. The antioxidant as well as non-antioxidant properties of vitamin E forms are discussed. Finally, synthetic tocopherol and trolox derivatives, based on the design of multitarget directed compounds, are reviewed. It is demonstrated that selected derivatization of vitamin E or trolox structures can produce improved antioxidants, agents against cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.

维生素E对人体健康至关重要，由于治疗或饮食方面的原因，已在全世界范围内广泛使用。这篇综述介绍了多种维生素E形式在代谢和排泄方面的差异。考虑了影响每种形式的动力学以及肝脏中维生素E形式的分布和加工的重要步骤。讨论了维生素E形式的抗氧化剂和非抗氧化剂特性。最后，综述了基于多靶标定向化合物设计的合成生育酚和trolox衍生物。已经证明，维生素E或trolox结构的选择性衍生化可以产生改进的抗氧化剂，抗癌剂，心血管疾病和神经退行性疾病。