Ingredient intelligence
Tocopherol
Antioxidant · Tocopherol · C29H50O2
Alpha-tocopherol is a lipid-soluble vitamin E form that interrupts lipid peroxidation chain reactions in membranes.
Molecular identity
- Formula
- C29H50O2
- Molecular weight
- 430.7 g/mol
- PubChem CID
- 14985
- ChEBI
- CHEBI:18145
Biological targets
Alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTPA)
medium confidencetargets · transporter
UniProt P49638Lipid peroxyl radicals
high confidenceinhibits · complex
Chemical radical scavenging rather than a protein target.
How could this ingredient interact with biology?
Biological network
Ingredient → molecule → target → gene/protein → pathway → process → studied outcome. Relationship strength is drawn from the curated confidence tier; nothing is added to make the chain look complete.
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1 lower-confidence relationship is hidden at this filter level. Use “Show more biology” to include them.
Text alternative for this network
- Tocopherol is molecule Alpha-tocopherol — high confidence
- Alpha-tocopherol targets Alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTPA) — medium confidence
- Alpha-tocopherol inhibits Lipid peroxyl radicals — high confidence
- Alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (TTPA) encoded by TTPA — medium confidence
- TTPA participates in Detoxification of reactive oxygen species — medium confidence
- Detoxification of reactive oxygen species associated with Lipid peroxidation control — high confidence
- Detoxification of reactive oxygen species associated with Oxidative stress response — medium confidence
- Lipid peroxidation control studied in Studied for antioxidant support, frequently combined with vitamin C — medium confidence
- Oxidative stress response studied in Studied for antioxidant support, frequently combined with vitamin C — medium confidence
Biological pathways
Detoxification of reactive oxygen species
high confidenceMembrane-phase antioxidant defence.
Reactome R-HSA-3299685
Evidence engine
Limited
Mostly mechanistic, animal or single-study evidence.
Skinceptor Evidence Index
40
experimental · of 100
This index is a research-navigation aid describing how much evidence exists and how it was produced. It is not a medical safety score, an efficacy guarantee, or a clinical recommendation.
Study composition
- Human1
- In-vitro1
- Total studies
- 2
- Human studies
- 1
- Largest sample
- 9
- Range
- 2005–2013
Index breakdown
- Study design quality48% × 28%
Mean design weight across curated studies (meta-analysis 1.0, RCT 0.9, other human 0.7, review 0.45, animal 0.35, in-vitro 0.25).
- Human evidence share33% × 22%
Proportion of curated evidence measured in people rather than cells or animals.
- Evidence volume50% × 14%
Log-scaled count of curated studies, so volume alone cannot dominate the score.
- Largest sample size32% × 12%
Log-scaled largest reported sample size across curated human studies.
- Replication33% × 12%
Independent human studies, capped at three; one study is never treated as replicated.
- Recency35% × 7%
Linear decay over a twenty-year window from the most recent curated publication.
- Source traceability50% × 5%
Share of curated studies with a verified PMID or DOI in this dataset.
Insufficient comparable evidence for quantitative synthesis.
Research timeline
How the evidence accumulated
2005
Ferulic acid stabilises a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection
Humann = 9 · Journal of Investigative Dermatology
2013
Stability of L-ascorbic acid in topical formulations
In-vitrosample size unavailable · International Journal of Cosmetic Science
Ingredient fingerprint
10 nodes · 11 relationships · seed "tocopherol"
The fingerprint is a deterministic visual signature: ridge amplitude comes from the number of entities in each tier, node placement from identifier hashes, and opacity from confidence. Two ingredients can never produce the same figure unless their networks are identical.
Open in Biology as Art →Research
2 curated studies
Stability of L-ascorbic acid in topical formulations
Reported rapid oxidative degradation of L-ascorbic acid at neutral pH, mitigated by low pH and antioxidant co-formulation.
Limitations — Formulation chemistry only; no biological endpoints.
Ferulic acid stabilises a solution of vitamins C and E and doubles its photoprotection
Reported improved formulation stability and increased measured photoprotection for a C/E/ferulic combination on human skin.
Limitations — Very small sample; surrogate photoprotection endpoints; industry-affiliated.
Community evidence
Submitted by readers
Reader submissions appear here only after review. They are not part of the curated dataset and do not affect the Skinceptor Evidence Index.
No approved community submissions yet.
Sources
- PubChem 14985retrieved 2026-09-14
- Reactome R-HSA-3299685retrieved 2026-09-14
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