a - Tocopherol , an Effective Inhibitor of Platelet Adhesion

Platelet adhesiveness was tested ex vivo in a group of six normal individuals receiving varying doses of a-tocopherol. Adhesion to glass slides coated with fibronectin. collagen. fibrinogen. or plasma proteins was studied by perfusing platelet-rich plasma through a flow chamber that allowed timeand space-resolved observations of platelet adhesion. Platelet adherence was measured in an area of parallel flow lines and low shear rate under standardized conditions before and after dietary supplementation with vitamin E at doses of 200 and 400 IU/d. Platelet adherence differed in magnitude depending on the adhesive surface. There was a distinct preference of platelets to adhere to sites that had been previously occupied. A remarkable