Tocopherol Content of Japanese Algae and Its Seasonal Variation

The tocopherol content of twelve species of Japanese algae were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Phaeophyta showed higher total tocopherol content than Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. In five species of algae, α-tocopherol was the principal ( > 90%) type of tocopherol. Other species contained about 10 ~ 50% of non-a-tocopherols. Three species contained relatively high percentages ( > 5%) of ^-tocopherol, although no evidence was previously reported for the presence of ß-tocopherol in algae. Analipus japonicus and Pelvetia wrightii contained approximately equal amounts of ¿-tocopherol and α-tocopherol. The total tocopherol contents of Hizikia fusiforme and A. japonicus increased seasonally with the growth of their thalluses. These seasonal increases were associated wiht the photosynthetic activities of these algae. In the period of maturation, the total tocopherol content of A. japonicus increased rapidly. This was caused by an increase in the ¿-tocopherol content.