Tocopherols, tocotrienols, other chroman and side chain derivatives and uses thereof

A method for the treatment of a cell proliferative disease comprising administering to an individual a pharmacologically effective dose of a compound having a structural formula

• wherein X is oxygen or nitrogen;
• Y is oxygen or NR6
• R1 is —C1-10alkylene-COOH, —C1-4alkylene-CONH2, —C1-4alkylene-COO—C1-4alkyl, —C1-4alkylene-CON(C1-4alkylene-COOH)2, —C1-4alkylene-OH, —C1-4alkylene-NH3-halo or —C1-4alkylene-OSO2NH(C1-4alkyl), —C1-4alkylene-COO—C1-4—SH, —C1-10alkylene-CO—SH, —C1-4alkylene-CO—S(C1-4alkyl), —C1-4alkylene-CS —NH2, —C1-4alkylene-CO—NH(2-n)(C1-4alkyl)n wherein n is 2 or 1, —C1-4alkylene-SO2—O(C1-4alkyl), —C1-4alkylene-OSO2—O(C1-4alkyl), —C1-4alkylene-OP(O—C1-4alkyl)3, or —C1-10alkylene-CN;
• R2 and R3 are independently hydrogen or R4 when R7 is —XR1;
• or
• R2 and R3 are hydrogen or R2 and R3 are R4 or R2 is hydrogen and R3 is R4 when R7 is hydroxyl;
• R4 is methyl;
• R5 is a C7-16 olefinic group containing 3 to 5 ethylenic bonds;
• R6 is hydrogen or methyl;
• and
• R7 is hydroxyl or —XR1;
• or a pharmaceutical composition thereof.