Tretinoin tocoferil, the a-tocopherol ester of all-trans-retinoic acid, was launched for the
treatment of bedsores and skin ulcers such as burn, leg, and diabetic ulcers. It is also an
orally active agent for gastric ulcer treatment. Tretinoin tocoferil represents a new class of
antiulcer drugs which act by directly promoting tissue repair, distinguished from common drugs
that exert an indirect function by suppression of acid-secretion and mucosa protection. The
mode of its action has been proposed to relate to its ability to stimulate DNA synthesis of
growth-arrested human skin fibroblasts by promoting expression of the epidermal growth
factor receptor.
dl-α-Tocopheryl Retinoate is an α-tocopherol ester of all-trans retinoic acid (R250200) and is safely used in the treatment of skin ulcer. ?dl-α-Tocopheryl Retinoate inhibited proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells and induced granulocytic differentiation of the cells, but to a lesser extent than did retinoic acid.
