Satisfactory therapy for acute lung injury related to endotoxemia remains to be established. However, in vivo antioxidant treatment with N-acetylcysteine reportedly suppresses acute lung injury and proinflammatory cytokine production induced by endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). In addition, intrinsic vitamin E is protective against LPS-induced insults. We determined the effects of a novel water-soluble vitamin E derivative, 2-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)methyl-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-6-ol (TMG), on acute lung injury and mortality induced by LPS in rats. Intravenous injection of TMG (4 or 40 mg/kg) effectively decreased mortality and prevented the increased alveolar permeability and pulmonary edema that were caused by intravenous injection of LPS (20 mg/kg). Treatment with TMG decreased the enhanced lung expression of TNF-alpha caused by LPS. TMG also suppressed the sequestration of neutrophils in the lung induced by LPS. These results indicate that TMG is a possible therapeutic agent for acute lung injury and mortality, especially that caused by gram-negative bacteria. The therapeutic effects could be mediated at least partly through suppression of the increased expression of TNF-alpha and neutrophil sequestration in the lung that are caused by LPS.