• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.1245-1252
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• 2004

Although ascorbate (vitamin C) has been shown to have anti-cancer actions, its effect on human hepatoma cells has not yet been investigated, and thus, the exact mechanism of this action is not fully understood. In this study, the mechanism by which ascorbate induces apoptosis using HepG2 human hepatoblastoma cells is investigated. Ascorbate induced apoptotic cell death in a dose-dependent manner in the cells, was assessed through flow cytometric analysis. Contrary to expectation, ascorbate did not alter the cellular redox status, and treatment with antioxidants (N-acetyl cysteine and N,N-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine) had no influence on the ascorbate-induced apoptosis. However, ascorbate induced a rapid and sustained increase in intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration. EGTA, an extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ chelator did not significantly alter the ascorbate-induced intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ increase and apoptosis, whereas dantrolene, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release blocker, completely blocked these actions of ascorbate. In addition, phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitors (U-73122 and manoalide) significantly suppressed the intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release and apoptosis induced by ascorbate. Collectively, these results suggest that ascorbate induced apoptosis without changes in the cellular redox status in HepG2 cells, and that the PLC-coupled intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release mechanism may mediate ascorbate-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.466-469
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• 1995

The effect of lithium-ascorbate derivatives on viruses was investigated using a wide variety of bacterial viruses(phage). Lithium-ascorbate derivatives exerted an inactivating effect on all phages examined. Lithium-ascorbate derivatives have antiviral effects. The antiviral effect of lithium 2-o-octadecyl ascorbate was stronger than that of lithium ascorbate. Even at 10∼20 times lower concentration, the lithium 2-o-octadecyl ascorbate showed very much similar phage inactivating effect to that of ascorbate and lithium ascorbate.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.227-231
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• 1993

The role of ascorbate as an antioxidant in the prevention and cure of disease that result from free radicals has been of considerable interest and controversy lately. As an antioxidant, we can expect it to protect against radiation damage caused by free radicals that are produced when radiation, especially sparsely ionizing radiation, interacts with living tissues. The plasma and whole blood concentration of ascorbate was analyzed before and just after the radiation therapy for the purpose of estimating the consumption amount of ascorbate during radiotherapy. Whole blood ascorbate was decreased from 1.82 mg/dl to 1.58 mg/dl, plasma ascorbate was decreased from 1.13 mg/dl to 1.08 mg/dl, and urine ascorbate was decreased from 9.33 mg/dl to 6.96 mg/dl after radiotherapy. Although the difference was not significant statistically, further human study should be followed to define the role of ascorbate as a radioprotector.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.300-307
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• 1999

The enzyme activities and antioxidative of tocopherol and ascorbate were investigated at the levels of liver, kidney homogenates and sera of SD-rats intoxicated with tetrachlorocarbon$CCl_4$. GOT and GPT activities of sera in the $CCl_4$ group were 3, 6 times increased compared to normal group. But they tended to decrease significantly in tocopherol and ascorbate administered group. As for BUN and total cholesterol they were the same. HDL-cholesterol in the $CCl_4$group was 42% decreased compared to normal group. HDL-cholesterol was about 26% increased in the tocopherol group and tocopherol ascorbate group compared to $CCl_4$ group. MDA and SOD activities in the liver and the kidney tissue homogenates were significantly increased in $CCl_4$ group compared to normal group. But they were decreased significantly in the tocopherol group and tocopherol-ascorbate group compared to $CCl_4$ group. In view of this study tocopherol and ascorbated were ascorbate were effective on the detoxication of liver and kidney injury.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.329-335
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• 1993

Ascorbate oxidase activity in various cucumber tissue extracts was highest in young fruit peeling. Cucumber callus was induced from young fruit peeling and callus cell lines were selected for more than 7 months, which porduced high levels of ascorbate oxidase and had a high growth rate. Induction of callus was optimized with Linsmaier-Skoog(LS) medium at 25$^{\circ}C$ in dark phase. Ascorbate oxidase activity reached a maximum at 5 days after transfer to LS basal liquid-medium ant then declined. The enzyme activity in callus cells was stimulated by addition of 10${\mu}$M $CuSO_4$ in the early logarithmic phase of growth. And also, adding 10${\mu}$M $CuSO_4$ at 3rd day 7th day of culture period, ascorbate oxidase activity in callus cells was maintained to high level. Maximum yield of ascorbate oxidase was found at the 25th day by flask shaking culture, but three-fold of ascorbate oxidase activity was obtained at the 16th day by jar fermentation.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.97-103
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• 2002

Five citrus juices were separated into a ascorbate and phenolic portion using rep-pak C$\_$18/ cartridge, respectively, in order to elucidate the nitrite scavenging effect and N-nitrosodimethylamine(NDMA) formation in model system. The nitrite scavenging effect of ascorbate portion from citrus juices, in the different pH, when added with 5ml were 79.9 ∼98.6% under the condition of pH 2.5. 48.5∼86.3% at pH 4.2 and lower than 35.2% at pH 6.0. The nitrite scavenging effect was excellent phenolic portion rather than ascorbate portion. Particularly, the effect was more 2 times than ascorbate portion under the reaction condition of pH 6.0. When added the phenolic portion in the reaction mixture, NDMA formation was inhibited 92.8% or more in kum quat, mandarin orange and sweet orange juices. But the ascorbate portion was a negative response of the inhibition of NDMA formation. The inhibition on NDMA formation in citrus juice may be due to phenolic compounds were reacted.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2009

In patients with type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress could be increased by their metabolic changes. Elevated plasma homocysteine is considered as one of markers of enhanced oxidative stress. Due to oxidative stress, some complications like cardiovascular or renal diseases may develop in type 2 diabetes patients. Plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased if folate status were inadequate. Protective effects against oxidative stress may be diminished if the status of anti-oxidative nutrient as vitamin C was poor. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate status of folate and vitamin C in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folate and/or ascorbate on blood glycated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$) level, serum concentrations of homocysteine and cholesterol, plasma oxidized low density-lipoprotein (LDL), concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 92 type 2 diabetes patients participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folate-supplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A received 1,000 mg of ascorbate, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of ascorbate daily for 4 weeks. Supplementation of folate or ascorbate resulted to increase serum folate level or plasma ascorbate concentration apparently, respectively. Folate supplementation not ascorbate seemed to decrease plasma concentrations of homocysteine and oxidized LDL and reduce plasma GSH-Px activity. There might not be synergic effect of the supplementation of folate plus ascorbate. The results indicate that oxidative stress in the patients with type 2 diabetes may lower mainly by folate supplementation.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.545-552
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of sodium ascorbate on microtensile bond strengths of total-etching adhesive system to pulp chamber dentin treated with NaOCl. Pulp chambers of extracted human non-caries permanent molars were treated as follows: group 1, with 0.9% NaCl; group 2, with 5.25% NaOCl; group 3, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 1min; group 4, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 1 min and 10ml of water; group 5, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 5 min; group 6, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 5 min and 10ml of water; group 7, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 10 min; group 8, with 5.25% NaOCl and 10% sodium ascorbate for 10 min and 10ml of water. Treated specimens were dried, bonded with a total-etching adhesive system (Single bond), restored with a composite resin(Z250) and kept for 24h at 100% humidity to measure the microtensile bond strength. NaOCl-treated group (group 2) demonstrated significantly lower strength than the other groups. No significant difference in microtensile bond strengths was found between NaCl-treated group (group 1) and sodium ascorbatetreated groups (group 3-8). The results of this study indicated that dentin treated with NaOCl reduced the microtensile bond strength of Single bond. Application of 10% sodium ascorbate restored the bond strength of Single bond on NaOCl-treated dentin. Application time of sodium ascorbate did not have a significant effect.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.147-152
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• 2009

Ascorbate (vitamin C) is a cofactor for a number of metabolic enzymes and is an indisputable essential vitamin C for humans. However, the potential of ascorbate as an anticancer agent has been a topic of controversy. A number of previous reports have addressed both positive aspects and limitations of ascorbate in cancer therapy. In this review, we briefly summarize the potential antitumor effects of ascorbate and its prospects for clinical use.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2000

In the present study, to determine whether the ascorbate protect against radiation damage and the possible relationship among the radioprotective effects and antioxidant actions, the effects of ascorbate(240 mg/kg, i.p) pretreatment of mice on the survival ratio, splenic weight, major antioxidant enzymes(SOD, catalase and glutathione peroxidase) activities, glutathione contents and lipid peroxidation in the liver were examined for 2 weeks after whole-body ${\gamma}-irradiation$(6.5 Gy). The 30-day survival ratio Increased from 10% to 47% for mice treated with ascorbate. The ascorbate decreased the extent of loss in splenic weight and stimulated recovery of splenic weight in irradiated mice(p<0.01). On the day of 14 after ${\gamma-irradiation}$, the ascorbate pretreatment produced a slight increase of antioxidant enzymes activities and significantly increased reduced glutathione(GSH) contents(P<0.05) in the liver compared with non-treated group. Pretreatment with the ascorbate significantly decreased GSSG/total GSH ratio(p<0.05) without the change of GSSG in the liver and inhibited the radiation-induced increase in the hepatic malondialdehyde levels(p<0.05). In these results, we found that its radioprotective effect by protecting antioxidant enzyme activities and glutathione contents from radiation induced a decrease, and thereby suppressing lipid peroxidation which is induced by free radicals.