Aumento de la frecuencia de escorbuto en niños con selectividad alimentaria: serie de casos / Increase in the frequency of scurvy in children with food selectivity: A case series

El escorbuto es una enfermedad producida por déficit de vitamina C. Aunque es poco frecuente, en los últimos años observamos un incremento de casos en niños con trastornos de la conducta alimentaria. Sus manifestaciones son variadas, ya que esta vitamina actúa como cofactor en numerosos procesos, como la síntesis de colágeno. Las manifestaciones cutáneas características son las petequias, equimosis e hiperqueratosis. El compromiso mucoso se manifiesta como gingivitis con hipertrofia, hemorragias y pérdida de piezas dentarias. El diagnóstico es clínico y puede confirmarse mediante la determinación de la vitamina C plasmática. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir una cohorte de pacientes diagnosticados en los últimos años, manifestaciones clínicas y hallazgos en relación con su conducta alimentaria y trastornos del neurodesarrollo.

Scurvy is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency. Although rare, in recent years, the number of scurvy cases in children with eating disorders has increased. Its manifestations are varied because vitamin C is a cofactor in numerous processes, such as collagen synthesis. The typical skin manifestations include petechiae, bruising, and hyperkeratosis. Mucosal involvement manifests as gingivitis with hypertrophy, bleeding, and loss of teeth. The diagnosis is based on clinical findings and may be confirmed by measuring plasma vitamin C levels. The objective of this study was to describe a cohort of patients diagnosed with scurvy in recent years, its clinical manifestations, and findings in relation to their eating behavior and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Gender-based comparison of nutritional status in tribal and non-tribal populations: a study in the Udaipur region

Background: It is imperative to examine the nutritional quality of adult populations, both tribal and non-tribal, in the Udaipur region of Rajasthan in order to comprehend the health dynamics of these societies. Tribal communities frequently encounter particular difficulties with regard to healthcare access, socioeconomic standing, and cultural customs that may have an impact on their nutritional well-being that is distinct from that of non-tribal communities. Methods: Our study group consisted of 300 tribals and 300 non tribals. The blood was tested to determine various nutritional parameters like minerals iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins like vitamin, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. Results: Comparable levels of parameters like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin A, and vitamin D3 were found in both non-tribal and tribal people, suggesting that both groups' nutritional statuses were generally similar. Non-tribal males and females exhibited significantly higher iron levels compared to their tribal counterparts. Both non-tribal males and females had considerably higher levels of vitamin C and B12 compared to tribal peers. Conclusions: The study highlights the differences in iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B12 levels that occur in the Udaipur region between non-tribal and tribal individuals.

Effect of pulmonary intervention and vitamin C supplementation on respiratory health status of people exposed to air pollution at Tirupati, Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh

Background: Air pollution is a significant issue of global concern with implications for public health. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of air pollution on the respiratory health of individuals who are exposed to air pollution in Tirupati, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh. Methods: The present study utilised a quantitative methodology and employed a randomised control design. A total of 300 individuals using cluster sampling method were selected for this study and divided into four groups. Three of these groups received different interventions, namely pulmonary intervention, vitamin C supplementation, and a combination of pulmonary intervention and vitamin C supplementation, the fourth group served as the control group. These groups were investigated simultaneously and their outcomes were compared. Results: A notable disparity is observed in the mean scores between the pre-test and post-test measurements in the pulmonary intervention group (t=2.06, p=0.001), vitamin C supplementation group (t=3.22, p<0.001), and the combined pulmonary intervention and vitamin C supplementation group (t=3.99, p<0.000). Conversely, the control group (t=1.21, p=0.23) did not exhibit a significant difference in the pre-test and post-test mean scores. A statistically significant difference was seen in the mean post-test scores between the experimental and control groups indicated by the derived f=3.578 and a corresponding p=0.014, which met threshold for statistical significance at the p<0.05 level. Conclusions: From the study findings it is concluded that Pulmonary intervention and vitamin C supplementation has a positive impact on respiratory health status of people exposed to air pollution.

A study of vitamin C, superoxide dismutase and FEV1/FVC ratio in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by incomplete reversible airflow limitation, which is associated with emphysema and chronic inflammation. Oxidative/antioxidant imbalance is one of the mechanisms of the current pathogenesis of COPD ECSOD is an antioxidant protein that scavenges superoxide free radicals from cigarette smoke and protects the lungs from free radical damage and chronic inflammation. Methods: Vitamin C was estimated by acid phosphotungustate on spectrometer at 660nm (Ayekygw 1978) method. SOD was estimated by Marklund S and Marklund G (1974) modified by Nandi and Chatterjee. FEV1/FEV ratio was done by spirometry technique. Results: The present study revealed that there was an increased oxidative stress in patients with COPD, when compared with controls and also decreased level of antioxidant activity in COPD patients, when compared with controls. In our studies significantly decreased sr. superoxide dismutase activity and FEV1/FVC ratio levels were found in subjects with COPD than healthy normal subjects. Conclusions: A significant decline in lung function may be associated with altered antioxidant enzyme activity due to the strong correlation between SOD and lung functions with COPD severity.

Mechanism and potential of vitamin C supplementation in sarcopenia prevention and treatment / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Vitamin C,as an essential nutrient,has a wide range of biological effects and a variety of biological functions related to the pathogenesis of sarcopenia.Vitamin C supplementation is expected to be a novel prevention and treatment measure for sarcopenia. OBJECTIVE:To review recent research advances in the application of vitamin C in the pathogenesis and treatment of sarcopenia,and to discuss the potential role of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and possible mechanistic pathways based on published evidence. METHODS:The first author performed a computer search of PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI and other databases for relevant studies involving vitamin C in sarcopenia.The search keywords were"vitamin C,ascorbic acid,L-ascorbic acid,ascorbate,antioxidants,oxidative stress,sarcopenia,muscular atrophy,muscle weakness,muscle development,skeletal muscle regenerate,muscles,skeletal muscle"in English and Chinese,respectively.The search period was from each database inception to July 2023.After screening,85 articles were included for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Ensuring adequate dietary vitamin C intake or maintaining normal circulating levels of vitamin C will help to reduce age-related muscle loss and decrease the prevalence of sarcopenia.In addition,vitamin C supplementation is also useful for improving skeletal muscle mass,strength and physical function with potential synergistic effects in exercise strategies for sarcopenia.The effects of vitamin C on sarcopenia may be via the following biological mechanisms:vitamin C limits the activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway mainly by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in skeletal muscle,thus positively regulating protein metabolic homeostasis,and may enhance mitochondrial antioxidant defenses through its antioxidant effects to maintain healthy mitochondrial function.In addition,vitamin C affects myoblast proliferation,differentiation and myotube size,mainly by increasing the expression of myogenic regulatory factors and activating protein synthesis signaling pathways,which contribute to the promotion of muscle development as well as the repair and regeneration of damaged muscle tissue.The positive effects of vitamin C in sarcopenia need to be studied in large samples and with optimized designs for important influencing factors,such as the choice of supplementation dose and duration,the design of exercise prescription when vitamin C is combined with an exercise intervention,and the assessment of the redox status of the individual.It is recommended that future studies should be conducted in older patients with sarcopenia(<50 μmol/L)with suboptimal vitamin C status to investigate the efficacy of a combined intervention of long-term supplementation with 1 000 mg/d vitamin C(for 6 months or longer)with at least two or more types of multi-type combined exercise,with supplementation timed to take place at 1 hour after the end of the exercise,and with monitoring of markers of oxidative damage produced during the exercise such as malondialdehyde or protein hydroxyl levels were monitored.In conclusion,the optimal dose and timing of vitamin C supplementation for older adults with sarcopenia needs to be explored more,while the appropriate design of exercise prescriptions(especially the type and intensity of exercise)needs to be further determined.

Near-infrared Spectroscopic Quality Control on Coating Process of Vitamin C Yinqiao Tablets / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo construct a quantitative prediction model of three indicators（moisture absorption rate， film thickness and coating weight gain） during the coating process of Vitamin C Yinqiao tablets（VCYT） by near-infrared spectroscopy（NIRS）， and to realize the endpoint judgment. MethodReal-time NIRS data of 4 batches of VCYT during the coating process were collected by diffuse reflection method. The coating method employed was the rolling coating method， and the samples were obtained at the spray stage from the coater's sampling port every 10 minutes， and 57 batches of samples（about 1 800 tablets） were collected at various coating times， the tablets were embedded in molten paraffin， cut longitudinally， and observed by stereomicroscope. The film thickness， with a target value of 38 μm， was then measured using Motic Images Advanced 3.2 software. Furthermore， the mositure absorption rate of samples， aiming for a target value of 3%， was determined in accordance with guiding principles for drug hygroscopicity testing in the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia， and 3 samples were randomly selected from each batch（10 tablets per batch）， and the coating weight gain was calculated（target value of 4%）. Partial least squares regression（PLSR） was used to construct a quantitative model of the 3 coating indicators， and the predicted values of the coating indicators were smoothed using the moving average method and used to determine the coating endpoints. ResultThe prediction determination coefficients（Rp2） for moisture absorption rate， film thickness and coating weight gain were 0.933 4， 0.932 6 and 0.965 9， the root mean square errors of prediction（RMSEP） were 0.163 5%， 1.870 9 μm and 0.240 3%， the relative percent deviations（RPD） were 3.711 0， 2.760 7 and 5.415 8， respectively. The results of the external validation set demonstrated that the real-time predicted values obtained by the models exhibited the same trend as the measured values， and the coating endpoint could be accurately predicted（with a prediction error of less than 7.32 min and a relative error of less than 5.63%）. ConclusionThe established NIRS model exhibits excellent predictive performance and can be used for quality control of VCYT during the coating process.

Effect of vitamin C on intestinal flora disorders in Cr(VI)-contaminated mice / 环境与职业医学

Background Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure can cause structural disruption of intestinal flora and functional impairment. Vitamin C (VC) is one of the essential micronutrients, which plays an important role in promoting the growth of intestinal probiotics, improving the intestinal barrier, and maintaining the homeostasis of intestinal flora. However, the regulatory effect of VC on the intestinal flora disorders caused by Cr(VI) exposure remains to be investigated. Objective To investigate the effect of VC on intestinal flora disruption in mice due to Cr(VI) exposure. Methods Thirty-two SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice were acclimatized and fed for 3 d and randomly divided into control (Con), VC, potassium dichromate [K2Cr2O7, Cr(VI)], and VC+K2Cr2O7 [VC+Cr(VI)] groups. At 8:00 a.m. on day 4, the Con group (double-distilled water given by gavage and injected intraperitoneally), the VC group (VC given by gavage and double-distilled water injected intraperitoneally), the Cr(VI) group (double-distilled water given by gavage and K2Cr2O7 solution injected intraperitoneally), and the VC+Cr(VI) group (VC given by gavage and K2Cr2O7 solution injected intraperitoneally) were treated. The dose of VC was 200 mg·kg−1, and the dose of K2Cr2O7 was 1.25 mg·kg−1. The mice were treated for 45 consecutive days and then executed, the contents of the colon were sampled in sterile freezing tubes, and three replicates were collected from each group. After labeling, the samples were immediately put into liquid nitrogen for rapid freezing. After all the samples were collected, they were transferred to a -80 ℃ ultra-low temperature refrigerator for storage. Samples of colon contents were analyzed for intestinal flora structure by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics software. Results The Cr(VI) exposure resulted in reduced body weight gain values in mice compared to the Con group. Pathological changes occurred in the ileal tissue of mice, with significant inflammatory cell infiltration in the Cr(VI) group and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the VC+Cr(VI) group. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of intestinal flora was altered in the Cr(VI) group of mice. In the α diversity analysis, the mean Sobs index in the Cr(VI) group was 240.333±67.796, the Chao index was 258.173±64.813, and the Ace index was 259.481±66.891, which were significantly lower than those in the Con group (P<0.05), the PD whole tree index in the Cr(VI) group was 27.863±2.399, which was significantly higher than that in the Con group (P<0.05), and the VC intervention significantly reversed the changes of the above indexes due to Cr(VI) exposure (P<0.05). In the β diversity analysis, the principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) results showed a significant separation between the Cr(VI) group and the Con group, and after the VC intervention, there was a retraction of the separation trend and the difference was reduced. The multi-sample similarity dendrogram results showed that the control and the VC groups clustered together first, then with the VC+Cr(VI) group, and finally with the Cr(VI) group. The abundances of Bacteroidetes, Saccharibacteria, and Tenericutes in the intestine of mice in the Cr(VI) group were decreased, and the abundance of Firmicutes was increased; the abundances of Lactobacillus, Alistipes, Bacteroides, and Ruminiclostridium were also increased. Included among these, Bacteroides showed a significantly higher abundance compared to the control mice (P<0.05). Changes in the abundances of phyla and genera of the above mentioned gut microorganisms were reversed after the VC intervention. Conclusion Cr(VI) exposure can lead to intestinal damage and disorganization of the intestinal flora structure in mice, while VC intervention can ameliorate the above changes to a certain extent and normalize the intestinal flora structure.

Effect of vitamin C intravenous injection on prognosis of patients with sep-sis or septic shock:A Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of vitamin C intravenous injection in the treatment of patients with sepsis.Methods PubMed,Embase,Scopus,Cochrane Library,and Clinical Trial databases were retrieved,with a retrieval period from database establishment to December 2022.English literatures on randomized controlled trial(RCT)of vitamin C intravenous injection for the treatment of sepsis or septic shock were collected.Meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software and Stata 15.0 software after literature screening,extraction,and evalua-tion of the bias risk included in the studies by two researchers independently.Results A total of 16 RCT studies involving 3 301 patients were included in the analysis.In terms of main outcomes,the 28-day mortality of patients in the vitamin C treatment group was slightly lower than that of the control group,but the difference was not statis-tically significant(RR=0.86,95％CI[0.72-1.03],P=0.10;I2=44％,P=0.10).In terms of secondary out-comes,vitamin C intravenous injection can reduce the duration of vasoactive drug usage time(MD=-23.44,95％CI[-30.53--16.35],P＜0.01;I2=0,P=0.97),but has no significant effect on the 90-day mortality,inten-sive care unit mortality,hospital mortality,duration of mechanical ventilation,difference in estimated sequential organ failure assessment score at 72 hour,length of stay in ICU,and total length of hospital stay of patients(P＞0.05).Conclusion Intravenous vitamin C injection can significantly reduce vasoactive drug usage time,but the available evidence is insufficient to support that intravenous vitamin C can improve the prognosis of patients with sepsis or septic shock.More high-quality,multicenter randomized controlled trial is needed to provide more substantial evidence about the efficacy of vitamin C in treating sepsis or septic shock.

Combined transcriptomics and proteomics unveil the impact of vitamin C in modulating specific protein abundance in the mouse liver

Background Vitamin C (ascorbate) is a water-soluble antioxidant and an important cofactor for various biosynthetic and regulatory enzymes. Mice can synthesize vitamin C thanks to the key enzyme gulonolactone oxidase (Gulo) unlike humans. In the current investigation, we used Gulo-/- mice, which cannot synthesize their own ascorbate to determine the impact of this vitamin on both the transcriptomics and proteomics profiles in the whole liver. The study included Gulo-/- mouse groups treated with either sub-optimal or optimal ascorbate concentrations in drinking water. Liver tissues of females and males were collected at the age of four months and divided for transcriptomics and proteomics analysis. Immunoblotting, quantitative RT-PCR, and polysome profiling experiments were also conducted to complement our combined omics studies. Results Principal component analyses revealed distinctive differences in the mRNA and protein profiles as a function of sex between all the mouse cohorts. Despite such sexual dimorphism, Spearman analyses of transcriptomics data from females and males revealed correlations of hepatic ascorbate levels with transcripts encoding a wide array of biological processes involved in glucose and lipid metabolisms as well as in the acute-phase immune response. Moreover, integration of the proteomics data showed that ascorbate modulates the abundance of various enzymes involved in lipid, xenobiotic, organic acid, acetyl-CoA, and steroid metabolism mainly at the transcriptional level, especially in females. However, several proteins of the mitochondrial complex III significantly correlated with ascorbate concentrations in both males and females unlike their corresponding transcripts. Finally, poly(ribo)some profiling did not reveal significant enrichment difference for these mitochondrial complex III mRNAs between Gulo-/- mice treated with sub-optimal and optimal ascorbate levels. Conclusions Thus, the abundance of several subunits of the mitochondrial complex III are regulated by ascorbate at the post-transcriptional levels. Our extensive omics analyses provide a novel resource of altered gene expression patterns at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels under ascorbate deficiency.

Effects of an antioxidants cocktail on glucose metabolism at rest, during exercise, and during a glucose load in healthy young subjects

Background: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulate glucose metabolism (GM) in skeletal muscle by improving the translocation of GLUT4. Antioxidant supplementation could block this physiological effect, altering glucose signaling during exercise. However, there is limited evidence in humans on whether antioxidant intake affects GM. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effect of an antioxidant cocktail (AOC) on GM at rest and during metabolic challenges. Methods: Ten healthy male subjects received AOC supplementation (1000 mg of Vitamin C, 600 IU of Vitamin E, and 600 mg of α-lipoic acid) or placebo (2.000 mg of talc) before two trials conducted 7 days apart. Trial 1: AOC 120 and 90 minutes before an endurance exercise (EEX) bout at 60 % of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max); Trial 2: AOC 120 and 90 minutes before an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT; 75 g glucose). Measurements of gas exchange and capillary blood samples were collected every 15 minutes during both trials. Results: AOC supplementation increased resting glucose levels (p<0.05). During Trial 1 (EEX), the AOC increased carbohydrate oxidation (CHOox) (p= 0.03), without effect in glucose blood levels. During Trial 2 (OGTT), the AOC supplementation had no significant effect on GM parameters. Conclusion: Acute supplementation with AOC increased resting glucose levels and CHOox during EEX in healthy subjects, with no effect on GM during the OGTT.

Antecedentes: Las especies reactivas de oxígeno (ROS) regulan el metabolismo de la glucosa (GM) en el músculo esquelético al mejorar la translocación de GLUT4. La suplementación con antioxidantes podría bloquear este efecto fisiológico, alterando la señalización de la glucosa durante el ejercicio. Sin embargo, existe evidencia limitada en humanos sobre si la ingesta de antioxidantes afecta el GM. Por lo tanto, nuestro objetivo fue determinar el efecto de un cóctel de antioxidantes (AOC) en el GM en reposo y durante desafíos metabólicos. Métodos: Sujetos sanos (sexo masculino; n= 10) recibieron suplementos de AOC (1.000 mg de vitamina C, 600 UI de vitamina E y 600 mg de ácido α-lipoico) o placebo (2.000 mg de talco) previo a dos pruebas realizadas con 7 días de diferencia. Prueba 1: AOC 120 y 90 minutos antes de una serie de ejercicio de resistencia (EEX) al 60% del consumo máximo de oxígeno (VO2max); prueba 2: AOC 120 y 90 minutos antes de una prueba de tolerancia oral a la glucosa (OGTT; 75 g de glucosa). Se obtuvieron datos de intercambio de gaseoso y muestras de sangre capilar cada 15 minutos durante ambas pruebas. Resultados: la suplementación con AOC aumentó los niveles de glucosa en reposo (p<0,05). Durante la prueba 1 (EEX), el AOC aumentó la oxidación de carbohidratos (CHOox) (p= 0,03), sin efecto en los niveles de glucosa en sangre. Durante la prueba 2 (OGTT), la suplementación con AOC no tuvo un efecto significativo en los parámetros de GM. Conclusión: Una suplementación aguda con AOC aumentó los niveles de glucosa en reposo y la CHOox durante EEX en sujetos sanos, sin efecto sobre el GM durante la OGTT.

Evaluation of the protective role of antioxidants: ?-tocopherol, vitamin C, and quercetin, against ibuprofen-induced renal damage in male Wistar rats

Background: Ibuprofen, commonly used in management of pains and inflammatory conditions, has been associated with renal damage. The protective role of antioxidants against Ibuprofen-induced renal damage in wistar rats were investigated in this study. Methods: The study was designed in two parts; first, to induce kidney damage and secondly, to determine protective role of antioxidants against ibuprofen-induced kidney injury. In the first phase, two groups of animals were used; one group treated with 120mg/kg ibuprofen daily for 14 days, while the other served as control and had distilled water. Serum malondialdehyde and kidney parameters were estimated after treatment and kidneys harvested for histology. In the protection study, animals were divided into five groups, with groups 1-4 having three sub-groups treated with 120mg/kg Ibuprofen and graded doses of vitamin E, vitamin C and quercetin respectively, while group five served as control. After 14days, antioxidant enzymes and kidney parameters were estimated, and the kidneys harvested for histology. Results: Showed significant (p<0.05) increase in malondialdehyde, urea, creatinine, and uric-acid levels after ibuprofen administration. Conversely, there was significant (p<0.05) reduction in kidney parameters after co-administration of antioxidants with ibuprofen, with significant increase in antioxidant enzymes. Estimated antioxidant’s percentage protection showed vitamin E gave highest protection on the kidneys against ibuprofen-induced damage amongst others. Histology revealed atrophied glomeruli with widened capsular space, desquamated tubular epithelial cells and infiltrating lymphocytes after ibuprofen administration, but showed normal histo-architecture after co-administration with antioxidants. Conclusion: Antioxidants such as ?-tocopherol, vitamin C, quercetin, protected against ibuprofen-induced renal damage in Wistar rats.

Assessing the Suitability of Tomato Products as a Functional Ingredient in Paneer

This research involved the selection of suitable tomato products from amongst the puree, paste and powder for manufacture of tomato flavoured paneer. Paneer was prepared from milk standardized to 3% fat and 8.5% MSNF. The first part of the study was conducted to select the optimum level of tomato puree, paste and powder. From amongst different rate of addition (w/w of milk) of tomato products studied viz. 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15% in case of puree and paste and 4, 5, 6 and 7% in case of powder, it was found that samples containing puree, paste and powder @ 10, 10 and 5 % were liked the most. In the next part of the study three batches of paneer viz. T1, T2 and T3 were prepared in which tomato puree, paste and powder were incorporated at 10, 10 and 5% respectively. Control (C) paneer was prepared from standardized milk. It was found that the fat, FDM and pH of T1, T2 and T3 were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that of C, whereas moisture content of T1, T2 and T3 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than C. The recovery of fat, protein and TS in T1, T2 and T3 was significantly (P<0.05) lower than C, while no significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in yield of paneer. All the textural properties viz. hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness and gumminess of samples containing tomato products were significantly (P<0.05) lower compared to control. The overall acceptability score of T1 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of T2 and T3 but was significantly (P<0.05) lower compared to C. The Vitamin C, total dietary fiber and antioxidant capacity of T1 was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to C. Hence, it was concluded that good quality tomato flavoured paneer can be prepared incorporating tomato puree @ 10% w/w of milk with better functional properties compared to control.

Effect of iron folic acid with tablet vitamin C compared to iron folic acid with routine verbal advice of vitamin C rich foods on the hemoglobin levels of anemic pregnant women attending a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry: protocol for a pragmatic trial

Background: In routine practice, pregnant women are advised to take iron folic acid (IFA) tablets with vitamin C-rich foods. If vitamin C tablets are given instead, there may be an improvement in the hemoglobin levels of pregnant women. The study aims to find the effectiveness of IFA tablet with vitamin C tablet compared to IFA tablet with verbal advice of vitamin C rich foods, over 6 weeks, on the hemoglobin levels of anemic pregnant women (13-33 weeks) attending a tertiary care hospital in Puducherry. Methods: A pragmatic trial will be conducted in the antenatal OPD of a hospital in Puducherry. Anemic pregnant women will be consecutively recruited until a sample size of 86 is attained. Permuted block randomization and allocation concealment will be used. After eligibility assessment, participants will be randomly assigned two arms. The intervention arm will receive IFA tablets with vitamin C tablets, while the control arm will be advised to take IFA tablets with vitamin C-rich food. Participants will be followed up at 6 weeks. The intention-to-treat approach will be used. Linear regression will be performed followed by multivariable linear regression to adjust for confounding variables. Conclusions: This study protocol is designed to investigate whether the hemoglobin status and control of anemia in anemic mothers can be improved by giving IFA tablets with vitamin C tablets in routine practice, rather than verbal advice to take IFA tablets with vitamin C-rich foods.

Analytical Method, Chemistry and Properties of Fructose, Sucrose and Ascorbic Acid in Pear Fruit Juice

Pear is a gently sweet fruit, arich source of several nutrientsincludingfiber, sugar, vitamin C molecules, and potassium. This article reports the history, consumption, Types, health benefits, and diseases of various fruit juices. Carbohydrates, Fructose, sucrose, vitamin C, fibers, vitamins, and minerals are prime constituents present in almost all juices. The nutrition composition, manufacturing technique, processing steps, specification, stability data, contamination, and related details of pear juice are discussed in this review. The pharmacological and functional applications of pear juice like Anti-diabetic, Anti-hyperlipidemic, Anti-inflammatory, and Cardio-protective, etc. are covered with their mechanism of action. The marketed preparation and patents are also highlighted. Moreover, the analytical estimation of active constituents by spectroscopy and chromatography [like UV, HPLC, UPLC, and mass spectroscopy] isexplained in this article. The physic-chemical properties, synthesis, chemistry, biological study, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of fructose, sucrose, and ascorbic acid, which are chief phytoconstituents in pear juice, are explained in the present article. This review suggests therapeutic pharmacological andanalytical techniques available for estimating sucrose, fructose, and ascorbic acid analytically and bioanalytically. This will contribute in creating a straightforward and verified procedure that complies with green chemistry.

Attenuating Effect of Some Antioxidants on Caffeine Induced Spermatotoxicity and Mutagenicity in Male Albino Rats

Background and Objective: Infertility is one of the major health problems in life and has been linked to several factors; therefore different approaches are required to address the problem. This study investigated the attenuating potential of some antioxidants: Cellgevity, Max one, purslane and Vitamin C on caffeine induced spermatotoxicity in male albino rats. Location and duration of Study: This study was carried in the Department of genetics and Biotechnology, University of Calabar, Calabar and lasted for sixty five days. Methodology: Sixty sexually matured male albino rats were randomly divided into ten groups consisting of two rats in three replicates using completely randomized design (CRD). Group one served as control and received water and feed only. Group two were given 200 mg/kgBw of Cellgevity, group three received 200 mg/kgBW of Max one, group four received 100 mg/kgBW of Vitamin C, group five received 200 mg/kgBW of caffeine, group six received 200mg/kgBW of purslane, group seven received 200 mg/kgBW of caffeine and 200 mg/kgBW of Cellgevity, group eight received 200 mg/kgBW of caffeine and 200 mg/kgBW of Max one, group nine received 200mg/kgBW of caffeine and 200 mg/kgBW of purslane, group ten received 200 mg/kgBW of caffeine and 100 mg/kgBW of vitamin C. Administration was done orally and lasted for 65days. The rats were sacrificed after administration using chloroform anaesthesia. Testes and epididymes were processed for testes and epididymal weights as well as sperm profile. Results: The results showed that caffeine significantly (p<0.05) negatively affected all the parameters studied. The sperm profile significantly reduced in caffeine treated animals. However, Cellgevity, Max one, purslane and Vitamin C attenuated the effect of caffeine in all the parameters evaluated by increased the sperm viability, sperm motility, sperm count and reduced sperm head abnormalities and mutation index in the combination groups. Conclusion: Results show that Cellgevity, Max one, purslane and Vitamin C have the potential to attenuate spermatotoxicity caused by caffeine in albino rats.

Effects of heat exposure and vitamin C intervention on oxidative stress and blood pressure changes in treadmill rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective: To investigate the effect of oxidative stress caused by heat exposure on the blood pressure increase of treadmill rats and the intervention of antioxidants. Methods: In June 2021, Twenty-four healthy SD male rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal temperature feeding, normal temperature treadmill, high temperature treadmill and high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C groups, 6 rats in each group. The rats run on the platform in normal temperature or heat exposure environment for 30 min in the morning and in the afternoon daily, 6 days per week. The daily vitamin C supplement dose of high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C group was 10 mg/kg. BP recordings were done at the end of the week. The rat vascular lipofuscin (LF) was detected by ELISA, the rat serum nitric oxide (NO) was detected by nitrate reductase method, the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) was detected by thibabituric acid method, the serum glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected by chemiluminescence method, and the serum catalase (CAT) was detected by ammonium molybdate method. The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of serum was measured by iron reduction/antioxidant capacity method, and the content of nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in vascular tissue was measured by Western blot. The intra-group mean was compared by repeated measurement analysis of variance, and the inter-group mean was compared by single-factor analysis of variance and post-event LSD-t test. Results: Compared with the previous time point, the systolic BP and diastolic BP of the high temperature treadmill group were significantly increased at 7, 14 and 21 d, and decreased at 28 d which were higher than the initial level (P<0.05), and the systolic BP and diastolic BP values at each experimental time point were significantly higher than those of normal temperature treadmill group (P<0.001). The changes of thickening of the artery wall, no smoothing of the endodermis and irregular arrangement of muscle cells in high temperature treadmill group were observed. Compared with the normal temperature treadmill group, the content of MDA in serum, and LF in vascular tissue were significantly increased, the activities of SOD, CAT, T-AOC, the content of NO in serum, and the expression of Nrf2 in vascular tissue were significantly decreased in high temperature treadmill group (P<0.05). Compared with the high temperature treadmill group, the systolic BP and diastolic BP values at 7, 14, 21 and 28 d, the content of serum MDA and LF in vascular tissue were significantly decreased, the activities of CAT and T-AOC, and the expression of Nrf2 in vascular tissue significantly increased (P<0.05), the histopathological changes of the artery wall improved in high temperature treadmill supplementation with vitamin C group. Conclusion: Heat exposure has effect on oxidative stress, which may be related to the increase of BP. Vitamin C as an anti-oxidative enhancer can prevent those negative effects, which could alleviate the pathological changes of vessel intima in heat-exposed rats. And the Nrf2 may be a regulated factor to vascular protection.

Research progress in the treatment of sepsis with vitamin C / 中国医师杂志

Sepsis is a host reaction disorder caused by infection, in which oxidative stress is involved in the mechanism of organ damage. Vitamin C deficiency caused by trauma and infection is very common in critically ill patients. As a highly effective antioxidant, vitamin C can alleviate oxidative stress, reduce the inflammatory response, protect endothelial cell function, and reduce platelet activation. However, no definite clinical study confirms that patients with sepsis can benefit significantly from vitamin C supplementation. In order to further explore the clinical value of vitamin C in patients with sepsis, this paper discusses the pathophysiology of sepsis, the physiological function and deficiency of vitamin C, the basic research and clinical trials of vitamin C.

Dichloroacetate and vitamin C synergistically suppress proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma U87 and U251 cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the effects of dichloroacetate(DCA)combined with vitamin C(VC)on the malignant behavior of glioma U87 and U251 cells, and to explore the potential mechanism. Methods U87 and U251 cells were treated with different concentrations of DCA alone or in combination with 5 mmol·L-1 VC. The proliferation rate of each group was detected by CCK-8 method and the cooperative index was calculated. U87 and U251 cells were treated with DMSO, 15 mmol·L-1 DCA, 5 mmol·L-1 VC and their combination. The changes of clonal formation, reactive oxygen species content, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration and invasion were detected via in vitro experiments, while the proliferation of U251 cells in vivo in each group was detected by subcutaneous tumor-forming model. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels and degradation rates of BCL2A1 and CDC25A in each group of cells after network pharmacological analysis of DCA and VC targets and their value in glioma, and the expression levels of CDK4, CDK6, cytochrome C, caspase-7 and cleaved-caspase-7 were detected. Results The combined index of 15 mmol·L-1 DCA and 5 mmol·L-1 VC was the highest. Compared with the control and single drug groups, the clonal formation, migration and invasion ability of cells in combination group in vitro significantly decreased, the proliferation rate in vivo also decreased, and the content of reactive oxygen species, apoptosis rate and G1 phase arrest rate significantly increased. BCL2A1 and CDC25A proteins were important targets of DCA and VC in glioma. Compared with the control and single-drug groups, the expression levels of BCL2A1, CDC25A, CDK4, and CDK6 in the combination group were significantly reduced, and the expression levels of cytochrome C and cleaved-caspase-7 markedly increased, and the protein degradation rates of BCL2A1 and CDC25A significantly increased in the combination group. Conclusions VC can cooperate with DCA to promote the degradation of BCL2A1 and CDC25A, and inhibit the malignant behavior of glioma cells.

Prophylactic Vitamin C Attenuates Radiation-induced Lung Injury by Modulating Macrophage Polarization and Alveolar Epithelial Cell Apoptosis / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

With the ongoing epidemic of the Coronavirus disease in China and the widespread development of radiotherapy, radiation-induced lung injury has gradually become a clinical problem that has attracted much attention. The pathogenesis of radiation-induced lung injury is complex, involving an imbalance in the polarization state of alveolar macrophages and an upregulation of alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis. Previous studies have shown that vitamin C is an important antioxidant substance, and preventive use of vitamin C can effectively treat acute lung injury. However, whether prophylactic use of vitamin C can effectively prevent or treat lung injury caused by radioactive substances, and its specific molecular mechanism remains to be studied. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the prophylactic use of vitamin C to treat the alveolar macrophage cell line RAW 264. 7 and human lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B can effectively control the abnormal polarization of macrophages and the abnormal apoptosis of lung epithelial cells. This study found that after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of radioactive X-ray irradiation, the expression of macrophage M1 polarization state markers such as iNOS was significantly up-regulated (P< 0. 05), and preventive use of vitamin C to treat macrophages and lung epithelial cells can alleviate the polarization state disorder of macrophages and the apoptosis of alveolar epithelial cells caused by external radiation exposure, which is manifested in the down-regulation of the expression of Cleaved Caspase3. In addition, the preventive application of vitamin C treatment can inhibit the MAPK signaling pathway activated by external radiation exposure. Further experimental results showed that the inhibition of the MAPK pathway is the key to inhibiting the M1 polarization of macrophages and the apoptosis of lung epithelial cells. In summary, our findings suggest that vitamin C may play a protective role in acute radiation-induced lung injury by inhibiting macrophage M1 polarization/ promoting macrophage M2 polarization and alleviating alveolar epithelial cell apoptosis. This study will help to better understand the process and mechanism of the preventive effect of vitamin C, a common vitamin, on radiation-induced lung injury.

Evaluation of antibacterial activity of vitamin C against human bacterial pathogens / Avaliação da atividade antibacteriana da vitamina C contra patógenos bacterianos humanos

Now a day’s multidrug resistance phenomenon has become the main cause for concern and there has been an inadequate achievement in the development of novel antibiotics to treat the bacterial infections. Therefore, there is an unmet need to search for novel adjuvant. Vitamin C is one such promising adjuvant. The present study was aimed to elucidate the antibacterial effect of vitamin C at various temperatures (4°C, 37°C and 50°C) and pH (3, 8, and 11), against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at various concentrations (5-20 mg/ml) through agar well diffusion method. Growth inhibition of all bacterial strains by vitamin C was concentration-dependent. Vitamin C significantly inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria: Bacillus licheniformis (25.3 ± 0.9 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (22.0 ± 0.6 mm), Bacillus subtilis (19.3 ± 0.3 mm) and Gram-negative bacteria: Proteus mirabilis (27.67 ± 0.882 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (21.33±0.9 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18.0 ± 1.5 mm) and Escherichia coli (18.3 ± 0.3 mm). The stability of vitamin C was observed at various pH values and various temperatures. Vitamin C showed significant antibacterial activity at acidic pH against all bacterial strains. Vitamin C remained the stable at different temperatures. It was concluded that vitamin C is an effective and safe antibacterial agent that can be used in the future as an adjunct treatment option to combat infections in humans.

Agora, a resistência antimicrobiana de um dia em patógenos aos antibióticos tornou-se a principal causa de preocupação e houve uma realização inadequada no desenvolvimento de novos antibióticos para tratar infecções bacterianas. Portanto, há uma necessidade de pesquisar um novo adjuvante, e a vitamina C é um desses adjuvantes promissores. O objetivo do presente estudo foi elucidar o efeito antibacteriano da vitamina C em diferentes temperaturas (4 °C, 37 °C e 50 °C) e pH (3, 8 e 11), contra Gram-positivos e Gram-cepas bacterianas negativas em várias concentrações (5-20 mg / ml) através do método de difusão em ágar bem. A inibição do crescimento de todas as cepas bacterianas pela vitamina C era dependente da concentração. A vitamina C inibiu significativamente o crescimento de bactérias Gram-positivas: Bacillus licheniformis (25,3 ± 0,9 mm), Staphylococcus aureus (22,0 ± 0,6 mm), Bacillus subtilis (19,3 ± 0,3 mm) e bactérias Gram- negativas: Proteus mirabilis (27,7 ± 0,9 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (21,3 ± 0,9 mm), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18,0 ± 1,5 mm) e Escherichia coli (18,3 ± 0,3 mm). A estabilidade da vitamina C foi observada em vários valores de pH e várias temperaturas. A vitamina C mostrou atividade antibacteriana significativa em pH ácido contra todas as cepas bacterianas. A estabilidade da vitamina C permaneceu nas mesmas diferentes temperaturas (4 °C, 37 °C e 50 °C). Concluímos que a vitamina C é um agente antibacteriano eficaz e seguro que pode ser usado no futuro como uma opção de tratamento auxiliar para combater infecções em humanos, pois pode apoiar o sistema imunológico diretamente.