Tocotrienol in Pre-Eclampsia Prevention: A Mechanistic Analysis in Relation to the Pathophysiological Framework

This text discusses the potential benefits of combining tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E, with aspirin for preventing pre-eclampsia in pregnant women. Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related disorder characterized by high blood pressure and damage to organs such as the kidneys, liver, and brain. While aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in some studies, the pathophysiology of the disease involves oxidative stress and inflammation activation, which may not be fully addressed by aspirin alone. Tocotrienols have been found to possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making them potentially more appropriate for preventing pre-eclampsia compared to tocopherol. The review discusses the theoretical framework of how tocotrienol prevents pre-eclampsia and concludes that a large randomized clinical trial is warranted to shed more light on this matter. The authors are supported by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia via grant number FF-2019-371/1.