Plasma Kinetics of Parenteral Tocopherol in Premature Infants

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Abstract
The potential use of .alpha.-tocopherol (.alpha.-T) in the prevention of retrolental fibroplasia led to a study of the plasma kinetics of .alpha.-T. A dose of 20 mg .alpha.-tocopherol acetate (.alpha.-T-Ac) was injected subcutaneously in 5 premature newborns. .alpha.-T-Ac and .alpha.-T were assayed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The maximum plasma concentration of .alpha.-T-Ac was 2.0 .+-. 0.60 mg/dl (.hivin.x .+-. SEM). .alpha.-T concentrations remained above 0.5 mg/dl from 8 to 168 h with a mean peak plasma concentration of 2.15 .+-. 0.45 mg/dl. .alpha.-T-Ac absorption and elimination half-lives were 7.0 .+-. 0.7 and 23.2 .+-. 9.0 h, respectively; .alpha.-T appearance and elimination half-lives were 12.8 .+-. 3.1 and 80.6 .+-. 21.0 h. The proposed dosage to keep a plasma level higher than 0.5 mg/dl is 20 mg of .alpha.-T-Ac every 5 days.