HADLEY, Mass.A new animal study sheds light on how vitamin E tocotrienols from annatto protect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract against injury. The research, published in the Polish Journal of Pathology, found a non-antioxidant mechanism allowed the compound to shield the rats' gastric mucosa from stress-induced injury (Pol J Pathol. 2013 Apr;64(1):52-8.).

Researchers said stress is implicated as a risk factor in many health issues, including gastric lesion formation. This study was designed and carried out to study the gastro-protective effects of the most potent isoform of tocotrienol, delta-tocotrienol," the Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia researchers said.

In the study, researchers induced GI distress in rats using water immersion and restraint. The subjects received 60mg/kg of annatto tocotrienol (as DeltaGold®, from American River Nutrition) or placebo daily for four weeks prior to stress introduction. Scientists found the rats' gastric lesion score was significantly lower in the supplemented group; the tocotrienol also reduced the lesion amount 2.2-fold.

This study is significant because tocotrienol may protect against gastric injury caused by widespread use of common painkillers, such as NSAIDs," said Barrie Tan, Ph.D., president of American River Nutrition.