• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2003

We investigated the role of ascorbic acid on the redox status in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. In the plasma of diabetic rats, the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid was significantly decreased as compared with normal control. Ascorbic acid supplementation increased the reduced and total ascorbic acid contents as compared with diabetic control. In the rutintreatment group, reduced and total contents of ascorbic acid were significantly decreased, however, the ratio of reduced/total contents of ascorbic acid had no difference as compared with diabetic rats. In the insulin-treatment group, this ratio is not significantly different as compared with diabetic control. However, in the insulin plus ascorbic acid treatment group, reduced form and the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid were significantly increased as compared with diabetic control. In addition, we measured the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the plasma of diabetic rats. The contents of MDA was increased as compared with normal control, however, in insulin-treatment group, the contents of MDA was decreased as compared with diabetic rats. Ascorbic acid had no effects on the increases of MDA in diabetic rats. In conclusion, plasma ascorbic acid level and its reduced/total ratio reflects the status of the oxidative stress in the diabetic rats. Supplement of ascorbic acid did not correct the ratio of the reduced/total ascorbic acid. However, supplement of insulin and ascorbic acid corrected the ratio of reduced/total ascorbic acid.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2000

In order to explore the potential of ascorbic acid supplementation for the prevention and treatment of herpes simplex viral diseases, plaque reduction assays were performed. Ascorbic acid as well as copper chloride/ferric chloride were added to wells containing Vero cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and the infectivity of HSV-1 was determined. Since copper and iron are major transition metals in human plasma, near the normal human plasma concentrations of them were used for experiments. When Cu(II) and Fe(III) were applied, there were no significant differences between virus control and Cu(II)/Fe(III)-treated groups. But, when appropriate concentrations of ascorbic acid were added to wells, meaningful differences between control and ascorbate-treated groups were found. In the presence of Cu(II)/Fe(III) at $5.8/3.7\;{\mu}M$, 72-h treatment with ascorbate at $50\;{\mu}M$ reduced HSV-1 infections to $10.77%{\pm}4.25%$ (P < 0.001) and $500\;{\mu}M$ did to $3.06%{\pm}1.62%$ (P < 0.001). Moreover, the cytotoxicities for Vero cells at those concentrations were insignificant (P > 0.05). Current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of ascorbic acid is 60 mg/day, and the oral intake of 60 mg/day of ascorbic acid yields plasma ascorbic acid at 45 to $58\;{\mu}M$ in a healthy adult man. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that the maintenance of appropriate level (more than $50\;{\mu}M$) of ascorbic acid in human plasma by appropriate amount (more than the RDA) of ascorbic acid supplementation may be helpful for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by HSV -1 in an adult man. In addition, this study also suggests that ascorbic acid may be useful for the prophylaxis of fatal HSV-1 infections in neonates and the prevention of HSV-1 reactivation in immunocompromised hosts.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.19-39
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• 1995

In order to compare the anti-stress effect of Guibitang with that of ascorbic acid, after these medicines were administered to guinea pigs induced by heating and swimming stress, the changes of the weight of body and organ, and content of plasma catecholamines, serum total cholesterol, free cholesterol, triglyceride, protein, glucose and cortisol were measured. The results were as follows : 1. The weight of the body was increased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on both heating and swimming stress. 2. The weight of spleen decreased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid, Guibitang and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on heating stress, but in case of swimming stress, the weight of spleen decreased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid. The weight of adrenal decreased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on heating stress alone. 3. Plasma norepinephrine content decreased with statistical significance not only in the groups administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid but in the group administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered ascorbic acid on heating stress. In case of swimming stress, norepinephrine decreased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid, Guibitang and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid. 4. Plasma dopamine content decreased with statistical significance only in the group administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on both heating and swimming stress. 5. Serum total cholesterol content decreased with statistical significance in the groups administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on heating stress, but in case of swimming stress, it decreased with statistiscal significance only in the group administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid. 6. Serum triglyceride content decreased with statistical significance not only in the groups administered ascorbic acid, Guibitang and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid but in the group administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group adminstered ascorbic acid on heating stress. In case of swimming stress, triglyceride decrease with statistical significance only in the group administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid. 7. Serum glucose content increased with statistical significance in the groups administered Guibitang and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on both heating and swimming stress, particulaly in case of swimming stress, in the group administered ascorbic acid with Guibitang, it increased with statistical significance as compared with in the group administered ascorbic acid. 8. Serum cortisol content decreased with statistical significance only in the group administered ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid with Guibitang as compared with in the group administered non ascorbic acid on heating stress.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2022

High-fat diet (HFD)-fed ovariectomized (OVX) female mice were used as an animal model of obese postmenopausal women. We investigated the effects of ascorbic acid on the histological changes induced in the liver. Plasma alanine aminotransferase levels and liver weights were higher in mice fed an HFD for 18 weeks than in mice fed a low-fat diet, effects that were inhibited by ascorbic acid. Similarly, mice fed an ascorbic acid-supplemented HFD had less hepatic lipid accumulation than did mice fed an HFD alone. Moreover, administration of ascorbic acid reduced inflammatory cells, including mast cells and CD68-positive cells, and inflammatory foci in the liver and inhibited hepatocyte ballooning. Hepatic collagen levels were lower in ascorbic acid-treated versus non-treated mice. These results suggest that ascorbic acid inhibits hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis in obese OVX mice. Thus, ascorbic acid intake may be useful for postmenopausal women with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.297-304
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• 1998

Cigarette smoking is a well known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has negative effects on blood lipid and lipoprotein . Some of the associations between smoking and chronic disease can be attributed to the less healthful lifestyles of smokers. A large body of epidemiologic evidence suggests inverse relationships between ischemic heart disease and plasma vitamin C and E concentrations . Smokers have lower plasma concentrations of these vitamins than do nonsmokers. Smokers therefore need antioxidant vitamin supplementation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect vitamin supplementation on plasma lipid patterns in smoking college men. 24subjects were divided into 3 groups of which were the vitamin C supplementation group (n=8), the vitamin E supplementation group(n=8) and the vitamin C+E supplementation group(n=8). The vitamin C supplementation group consumed 500mg of ascorbic acid, the vitamin E supplementation group consumed 200IU of D-$\alpha$-tocopherol, and the vitamin C+E supplementation group consumed 500mg of ascorbic acid+ 200IU of D-$\alpha$-tocopherol for 4 weeks. We examined the plasma lipid patterns before and after the vitamins were supplemented. The results obtained were as follows ; In the vitamin C supplementation group, the concentration of total cholesterol decreased significantly and HDL-cholesterol increased significantly with the supplementation of vitamin. In the vitamin E and vitamin C+E supplementation groups, however, there were no significant differences observed with the supplementation of vitamin. Concentration of plasma LDL, triglyceride, free fatty acid were not significantly affected by the supplementation of vitamin in all groups. In terms of plasma fatty acid composition, the concentrations of saturated fatty acid were not significantly affected by the supplementation of vitamin in all groups. The concentrations of palmitoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid, however, significantly increased in the vitamin E supplementation group(p<0.05). The concentration of plasma linoleic acid significantly increased in the vitamin C+ E supplementation group)(p<0.05). The results of this study show that antioxidant vitamin supplementation in smokers has a tendency to decrease coronary heart disease risk in view of the plasma total cholestrol and HDL-cholesterol concentrations of the vitamin C supplementation group and fatty acid concentration of the vitamin E supplementation group.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2018

Ascorbic acid is one of the most well-known nutritional supplement and antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. Calcium ascorbate has been developed to mitigate the gastric irritation caused by the acidity of ascorbic acid. The aim of this study was to compare calcium ascorbate and ascorbic acid, focusing on their antioxidant activity and effects on gastric juice pH, total acid output, and pepsin secretion in an in vivo rat model, as well as pharmacokinetic parameters. Calcium ascorbate and ascorbic acid had similar antioxidant activity. However, the gastric fluid pH was increased by calcium ascorbate, whereas total acid output was increased by ascorbic acid. In the rat pylorus ligation-induced ulcer model, calcium ascorbate increased the gastric fluid pH without changing the total acid output. Administration of calcium ascorbate to rats given a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg as ascorbic acid resulted in higher plasma concentrations than that from ascorbic acid alone. The area under the curve (AUC) values of calcium ascorbate were 1.5-fold higher than those of ascorbic acid, and the $C_{max}$ value of calcium ascorbate (91.0 ng/ml) was higher than that of ascorbic acid (74.8 ng/ml). However, their $T_{max}$ values were similar. Thus, although calcium ascorbate showed equivalent antioxidant activity to ascorbic acid, it could attenuate the gastric high acidity caused by ascorbic acid, making it suitable for consideration of use to improve the side effects of ascorbic acid. Furthermore, calcium ascorbate could be an appropriate antioxidant substrate, with increased oral bioavailability, for patients with gastrointestinal disorders.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.502-508
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the blood concentrations of lipids, insulin and ascorbic acid, and their correlations in obese college men in Gyeongnam area. The blood pressure was significantly higher (p<0.001) in the obese group($127.8{\pm}7.2/86.7{\pm}9.2\;mmHg$) than the control group($112.8{\pm}6.6/71.9{\pm}6.6\;mmHg$). The serum triglyceride (p<0.01), total cholesterol (p<0.01), LDL-cholesterol (p<0.05), insulin (p<0.001) concentrations and atherogenic index (AI) (p<0.001) were significantly higher in the obese group ($158.8{\pm}79.7\;{\mu}U/L$, $185.0{\pm}26.8\;{\mu}U/L$, $111.9{\pm}28.1\;{\mu}U/L$, $15.2{\pm}5.6\;{\mu}U/L$, $3.6{\pm}1.0$) than the control group($111.9{\pm}35.8\;{\mu}U/L$, $165.9{\pm}19.4\;{\mu}U/L$, $97.0{\pm}16.4\;{\mu}U/L$, $8.9{\pm}4.4\;{\mu}U/L$, $2.6{\pm}0.3$), but HDL-cholesterol concentration was significantly higher (p<0.01) in the control group($46.5{\pm}7.2\;{\mu}U/L$) than the obese group($41.3{\pm}6.9\;{\mu}U/L$). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the plasma ascorbic acid concentration in both groups. The ascorbic acid concentration was negatively correlated with total cholesterol level in the control group, and with triglyceride, total cholesterol levels and diastolic blood pressure in the obese group (p<0.05). These data show that young adult obesity might be related to hyperlipidemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, and that the nutrition of ascorbic acid is more important for obese males than normal weight males.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.165-169
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• 2008

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is great clinical important because viability of the organ depends on the tolerance to ischemia-reperfusion injury, an inevitable processing during surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of premedicated ascorbic acid alone in I/R injury model induced by cross-clamping of renal vessels. In the rabbit models, 2-4 kg New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to 30 minutes of warm unilateral renal ischemia followed by removal of contralateral kidney and then divided into five groups, control (2) arid treatment groups (3). In control group 1, the rabbits only received right nephrectomy. In control group 2, the rabbits received I/R on left kidney after the right nephrectomy. In treatment group 1, the rabbits received ascorbic acid 50 mg/kg IV before the operation. In treatment group 2, the rabbits received ascorbic acid 100 mg/kg IV before the operation. In treatment group 3, the rabbits received ascorbic acid 200 mg/kg IV before the operation. Blood samples were collected from these rabbits for measurement of kidney function tests at the 0, 1 st, 3rd and 7th day and antioxidant enzyme( SOD, GSHPx, CAT) at 24 hours. Kidney function tests (serum creatinine and BUN) showed a significant difference between group 2 and group 4, 5. Activity of antioxidant enzymes in plasma were significant decrease in group 4, 5 compare to group 2. The result of this study suggested that the exogenous ascorbic acid had a role of attenuation of renal I/R injury in rabbit model.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.253-259
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• 1988

Riboflavin, Ascorbin Acid & Vitamin D status of 74 elderly Korean (35 men and 39 women)from urban households in Incheon were evaluated by blood analysis. Mean EGR-AC value of men was 1.05 while that of women was 1.03. Marginal deficiency of riboflavin(EGR-AC 1.15-1.35) was shown in 33.3% of men and 20% of women. Average plasma ascorbic acid contents of subjects were very low and men had significantly lower amount than women(0.23mg/㎗ vs 0.44mg/㎗). The percentages of subjects who had plasma ascorbic acid less than 0.4mg/㎗ were 88.9% of men and 45% of women. Mena serum Calcium, Inorganic phosphate contents and mean serum ALP activity of men were 9.97mg/㎗, 3.28mg/㎗ and 61.85 Unit/L respectively and those of women were 9.78mg/㎗, 3.49mg/㎗ and 67.80Unit/L respectively. From these results, Vitamin D status of subjects was considered to be normal.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.289-296
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• 1998

A large body of epidemiologic evidence suggests inverse relationships between ischemic heart disease and plasma vitamin C and E concentrations. Smokers have lower plasma concentrations of these vitamins than do nonsmokers. Smokers therefore need antioxidant vitamin supplementation . The purpose of study was to investigate the effect of antioxidant vitamin supplementation on blood composition in smoking college men. 24 subjects were divided into 3 groups of which were the vitamin C supplementation group(n=8), the vitamin E supplementation group(n=8), and the vitamin C+E supplementation group(n=8). The vitamin supplementation group consumed 500mg of ascorbic acid, the vitamin E supplementation group consumed 200IU of D-$\alpha$-tocopherol , and the vitamin C+E supplementation group consumed 500mg of ascorbic acid +200IU of D-$\alpha$-tocopherol for 4 weeks. We examined the blood compositions of the volunteers bofore and after vitamins were supplemented . The results obtained were as follows ; intakes of energy , carbohydrate , fat protein , vitamin C and vitamin E were not significantly affected by vitamin supplementation in all groups. Blood glucose concentrations were not significantly affected by vitamin supplementation in all groups. Concentrations of plasma uric acid and alkaline phosphatase activity were decreased significantly (p<0.05) with vitamin E supplementation. The results of this study show that antioxidant vitamin supplementation in smokers has a tendency to decrease coronary heart disease risk.