Male and
female albino
rats of same age and
body weight were pair fed with
laboratory stock
diet and
ascorbic acid,
dehydroascorbic acid and diketogulonic
acid were determined in the
liver and
urine, while in
blood only
ascorbic acid was estimated.
Male rats had concentration higher of
ascorbic acid in
liver and
urine as compared with
females, while there were no significant variations in the contents of
dehydroascorbic acid and diketogulonic
acid. Hepatic and renal 2, 3-diketoaldonate
decarboxylase, and hepatic
dehydroascorbatase were also found to be significantly higher in
male rats.
Similar sex variations were also observed in
ascorbic acid catabolism in
guinea pigs without any differences in urinary
ascorbic acid contents.