Abstract
Since a vitamin E radical produced by the antioxidant reaction of vitamin E causes damage to vital functions, ubiquinol and vitamin C regenerate a vitamin E molecule from a vitamin E radical in vivo. The kinetic studies of the regeneration reactions have been carried out in solutions by means of stopped-flow spectroscopy. Substantial deuterium kinetic-isotope-effects on the second-order rate constants have been observed in both the reactions of ubiquinol and vitamin C. Furthermore, a deviation from a linear relationship in the Arrhenius plot has been observed in the reaction of ubiquinol. These results suggest that the tunneling effect plays an important role in the regeneration reactions in various tissues and mitochondria.
