Causal relationship between circulating vitamin C and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and common mental disorders-a Mendelian randomization study

Mental disorders seriously affect people’s health and social stability.This Mendelian randomization(MR)study was designed to investigate the causal relationship between circulating vitamin C(VC)or 25-hydroxyvitamin D(25(OH)D)levels and mental disorders.The data used for the MR analysis were derived from the summary genome-wide association studies(GWAS)database for VC and 25(OH)D and from the Finn Gen consortium for fourteen mental disorders.Based on the inverse variance weighted(IVW)method,we found a potential causal association between circulating VC and anxiety disorders(IVW:OR=1.139,95%CI:1.023-1.269,P=0.018).However,no causal association was found between VC or 25(OH)D and other mental disorders(P>0.05).In the reverse MR analysis,individuals with Alzheimer’s disease was causally associated with higher concentrations of circulating VC(P=0.012),while individuals with anxiety disorders had a negative association between the concentrations of 25(OH)D(P=0.012).However,the current evidence does not support a causal relationship between VC or 25(OH)D and other mental disorders.In addition,there was no causal association between circulating VC and 25(OH)D(P>0.05).Future studies are needed to confirm these findings and to elucidate the mechanisms of potential causality.

Hemolysis attributed to high dose vitamin C:Two case reports

BACKGROUND High-dose vitamin C treatment(HVCT)can reduce the adverse effect of chemotherapy and enhance the effect of antitumor therapy,which has been considered one of the safest alternative treatments.However,the severity of its adverse effects may have been underestimated.The most serious adverse effect is hemolysis,which may result in acute kidney injury or death.Although glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase(G6PD)deficiency is considered to be the main cause,the probability and pathological mechanism are not completely understood,leading to a lack of effective and standardized treatment methods.CASE SUMMARY Two patients with colorectal cancer developed hemolytic anemia after using 1 g/kg HVCT.In contrast to previous cases,the lowest hemoglobin level in the two cases was<50 g/L,which was lower than previously reported.This may be because Case 1 had chronic hepatitis B for many years,which caused abnormal liver reserve function,and Case 2 had grade II bone marrow suppression.Both patients improved and were discharged after blood replacement therapy.Our cases had the most severe degree of hemolysis but the best prognosis,suggesting that our treatment may be helpful for rescue of drug-induced hemolysis.This is the first review of the literature on hemolysis caused by HVCT,and we found that all patients with G6PD deficiency developed hemolysis after HVCT.CONCLUSION G6PD deficiency should be considered as a contraindication to HVCT,and it is not recommended for patients with bone marrow suppression,moderate-tosevere anemia,hematopoietic abnormalities,or abnormal liver and kidney function.Early blood purification and steroid therapy may avoid acute kidney injury or death caused by HVCT-related hemolytic anemia.

Phytochemistry and ethnomedicinal qualities of metabolites from Phyllanthus emblica L.:A review

Phyllanthus emblica or Indian gooseberry is an integrated part of Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicines.For several decades,the well-known ancient herb has been extensively utilized in traditional medicine to cure diseases like fever,diabetes,constipation,jaundice,ulcers,biliousness,anemia,anorexia,and dyspepsia.In the traditional system,Indian gooseberry has various ethnomedicinal applications.In the Ayurvedic system,different methods of administration(anupan)have shown different ethnomedicinal properties of Indian gooseberry.Seventy well-known chemical components in Indian gooseberry have been identified through phytochemical evaluation,among which the flavonoids and phenols are most prominent.From the toxicity perspective,it is considered a safe herb in India,and is taken as a food supplement in European countries.The wide-spectrum pharmacological activities of the crude extracts and isolates of Indian gooseberry are attributed to the predominance of phenols and flavonoids.Thus,it is important to study the exact mechanism of the activity of the phytochemicals in Indian gooseberry,especially in anti-cancer activities.Extract of Indian gooseberry enhances proliferation in several cancer cells in vitro,including stem cells like ovarian cancer(OC)cells,and also has been observed to possess anti-proliferative characteristics in vivo.This review intends to explore the therapeutic potential of Indian gooseberry based on scientific reports and attempts to find the gaps for future research.

Content Determination of Vitamin C in Durian Endocarp and Optimization of Extraction Process

Purpose: To optimize the extraction process of vitamin C from durian endocarp, and to determine the content of vitamin C in durian endocarp with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Method: Optimize ultrasonic extraction conditions by L9 (43) orthogonal experiment by using octadecylsilane chemically bonded silica as the stationary phase, using methanol (A): 0.1% oxalic acid (B) = 5:95 (V/V) as the mobile phase, setting the flow rate as 1.0 mL/min, and setting the wavelength as 254 nm for assay. Result: The optimal extraction process is as follows: the material-liquid ratio is 1:12, the extraction solvent is 2% oxalic acid aqueous solution, and the extraction time is 30 min;Vitamin C has a good linearity within the concentration range of 5.4 - 108.0 mg·mL-1, and the regression equation is y = 37698x - 61035 (R2 = 0.9996);the average recovery rate is 99.03%, the instruments are of high precision with good stability. Conclusion: This extraction process performs well in simplicity, costs and extraction efficiency, which may accelerate the development and utilization of vitamin C extraction from durian endocarp, and provide references to relevant studies and practices.

A Study on Emotional Design for Vitamin C Dietary Supplements(Chinese Market,Generation Z Consumers)

China,recognized as the world’s largest developing nation,displays considerably lower per capita consumption of dietary supplements in comparison to Asian nations such as Japan and South Korea.However,in recent years,there has been a substantial surge in health consciousness among the Chinese populace.This trend is not confined to the middle-aged and elderly;even younger consumer demographics are exhibiting increased health awareness.Consequently,the target demographic for dietary supplements is transitioning towards a younger demographic.Within the Chinese dietary supplement industry,vitamin C has consistently held the largest market share,commanding a broad consumer base.This underscores the substantial role of vitamin C in the dietary supplement sector.In response to the trend towards a younger target demographic in the dietary supplement industry,adjustments are required to accommodate the preferences of this younger consumer group.This research,guided by Norman’s emotional design framework,executed a survey of over 200 respondents to investigate the preferences of Generation Z consumers in China.The research encompassed packaging,product forms,and brand imagery,corresponding to the emotional design’s visceral,behavioral,and reflective layers,with a primary focus on optimally meeting the emotional needs of Generation Z.The findings indicated that consumers favor products in capsule form,packaged in zip-lock.The predominant color scheme is clean white,accented by vibrant orange elements,while emphasizing the product’s health and scientific attributes.This study offers valuable insights for the continued evolution of the vitamin C dietary supplement market in China.

Thermally degraded palm kernel oil increased serum 4-hydroxynonenal protein adduct formation and hepatotoxic indications in Wistar rats:vitamin C intervention

Objective:The frequent consumption of deep-fried foods has been linked to high risk of certain non-communicable diseases.As a consequence,the safety of deep-fried oil(DFO)ingested with fried foods has been called into question.This study therefore evaluated the effects of DFO from palm kernel on serum 4-hydroxynonenal protein adduct formation,De Ritis ratio(DRR),liver histology and atherogenicity in Wistar rats and the role of vitamin C intervention.Methods:Deep-fried oil samples were characterized for total antioxidant capacity(TAC),degradation and metal contamination levels and compared against counterpart unused frying oil(UFO).In the animal experiment,both oil samples,sourced from commercial cooks,were orally administered,for 13 weeks,to sixty-two rats randomly divided into six test groups of two exposure levels alongside vitamin C control.After exposure,serum liver enzyme activities and lipoproteins levels were determined using colorimetric methods,while protein adducts levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).Histopathological examinations of liver tissues were also performed.Results:DFO had significantly lower(P=0.021)TAC,significantly higher(P=0.024)volatile acid and Pb concentrations compared to UFO.Exposure to DFO significantly increased(P<0.01)serum protein adduct formation,the De Ritis ratio and caused cytoplasmic vacuolation and pigment deposit on liver tissues compared to the control.Additionally,DFO exposures had an initial negative body weight gain rate that increased at the end of the study.Conclusion:However,co-administration of vitamin C significantly reduced(P<0.05)the De Ritis ratio and reduced the serum protein adducts levels by at least 15%.Concomitant intake of vitamin C and DFO can mitigate probable adverse effects.

Growth Rate and Chemical Muscle Composition of Oreochromis niloticus Fish Cultured in Drainage Water and Fed Antioxidant Supplemented Diet

Irrigation of fish farms with agricultural drainage water may affect cultured fish species. So, the present study utilizes antioxidants supplemented diet to overcome deterioration of drainage water and its negative effect on fish. The studied groups are fish cultured in dechlorinated tap water as control group or drainage water and fed commercial basal diet. While, the other studied groups represented by Oreochromis niloticus fish cultured in drainage water and fed either commercial diet supplemented with vitamin C (5 g/kg diet) or fennel (5 g/kg diet) for 12 weeks. Results of the water physico-chemical parameters of all studied treatments revealed deterioration of the drainage water with a decrease in dissolved oxygen and an increase in pH, total hardness, total alkalinity, salinity, ammonia, nitrite and heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Cd) with significant differences (P ≤ 0.01) in comparison to that of the control dechlorinated tap water group. Data clarified also that Oreochromis niloticus cultured in drainage water showed a decrease in growth rate accompanied by deterioration of fish meat quality. However, fish reared in the same drainage water for the same exposure period and fed vitamin C or fennel supplemented basal diet (5 g/kg diet) recorded values of the studied parameters more or less similar to that of control group fish. Data of the present study, empowered aquaculturist to supplement fish rations with fennel or vitamin C as antioxidants to improve fish growth rate, meat quality as well as protect fish against heavy metals toxicity that could threat Human Being.

A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Vitamin C in the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Background:The effectiveness of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of pediatric upper respiratory tract infections was evaluated in a meta-analysis.Methods:A total 2,573 children with upper respiratory tract infections were included in the meta-analysis,1,280 of whom received vitamin C and 1,293 who received control medication.The analysis of findings related to the studies included was done through random or fixed effects model to determine whether vitamin C supplementation could stop and control upper respiratory tract infections in children using mean difference(MD)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Results:On average,vitamin C-treated children had fewer upper respiratory tract infection bouts,their illness lasted shorter(MD-0.84;95%CI-1.47 to-0.20,P=0.009),and they were less contagious than the control.Conclusions:The number of episodes and illness duration of upper respiratory tract-infected pediatric subjects were considerably reduced in the intervention group(vitamin C)compared to the control.Due to the small sample size in four of 11 studies and the limited number of studies included for comparison,the outcomes should be carefully examined.

Effect of methoxychlor on antioxidant system of goat epididymal sperm in vitro

Aim: To evaluate the effect of methoxychlor on the antioxidant system of goat epididymal sperm. Methods:Epididymis of adult goat was obtained from local slaughter houses and sperm were collected by chopping the epididymisin modified Ringer's phosphate solution (RPS). After several washings, the sperm samples were dispersed in RPS andincubated with methoxychlor (1μmol/L, 10μmol/L and 100μmol/L) and methoxychlor + vitamin C (100μmol/Leach) for 3 h at 32℃. After incubation, the sperm motility and viability were assessed. An aliquot of sperm samplewas homogenized, centrifuged and used for the assay of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione re-ductase and lipid peroxidation. Results; In methoxychlor-incubated sperm and in sperm co-incubated with methoxy-chlor and vitamin C, the sperm motility and viability showed no significant changes as compared to the correspondingcontrols. In methoxychlor-incubated sperm the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathioneperoxidase were decreased while lipid peroxidation was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Co-incubation of spermwith methoxychlor and vitamin C showed no changes in the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase andglutathione peroxidase and in the level of lipid peroxidation. Conclusion; Methoxychlor induced oxidative stress inepididymal sperm of goats by decreasing the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Co-incubation of sperm with methoxychlorand vitamin C, a natural antioxidant, reversed the effect of methoxychlor. (Asian J Androl 2001 Dec; 3; 285 - 288)

Sperm quality improvement after natural anti-oxidant treatment of asthenoteratospermic men with leukocytospermia

Aim： To study the immune-modulating and anti-oxidant effects of beta-glucan, papaya, lactoferrin, and vitamins C and E on sperm characteristics of patients with asthenoteratozoospermia associated with leucocytosis. Methods： Fifty-one patients referred to our Sterility Center for semen analysis were selected. Sperm parameters were assessed before and after patient＇s treatment with beta-glucan, lactoferrin, papaya, and vitamins C and E. DNA damage was assessed by the acridine orange test and sperm structural characteristics were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Results： After 90 days of treatment, an increase in the percentage of morphologically normal sperm （17.0 ± 5.2 vs. 29.8 ± 6.5） and total progressive motility （19.0± 7.8 vs. 34.8 ± 6.8） were detected. Structural sperm characteristics as well as chromatin integrity were also improved after treatment. In terms of leukocyte concentration in seminal fluid, a significant reduction was recorded （2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 0.9± 0.2）. Conclusion： The treatment of an inflammatory process by the synergic action of immune modulators and anti-oxidants could protect sperm during maturation and migration, leading to improved sperm function. （Asian JAndrol 2008 Mar;. 10： 201-206）

Impact of poly chlorinated biphenyl (Aroclor 1254) and vitamin C on antioxidant system of rat ventral prostate

Aim: To evaluate the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and vitamin C on ventral prostatic antioxidant system in adult male rats. Methods: A group of 20 adult male rats were administered ip Aroclor 1254 in corn oil at a dose of 2 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 30 days. Ten control rats were administered only the vehicle. After 30 days the treated rats were divided at random into 2 sub-groups of 10 animals each. One sub-group received vitamin C at a dose of 500 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 10 days. The other group was maintained as Aroclor 1254 control. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment the rats were killed by decapitation. Ventral prostatic homogenate was prepared and used for the estimation of enzymatic antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation (LPO) and prostatic acid phosphatase. The serum levels of total T3, total T4, TSH, testosterone and estradiol were also assayed. Results: The body weight and ventral prostatic weight were reduced in PCB treated rats. The activities of SOD, CAT, GST and acid phosphatase were decreased while the levels of H2O2 and lipid peroxidation were increased in the ventral prostate of PCB treated rats. Administration of vitamin C restored these parameters. Serum levels of thyroid hormones, estradiol and testosterone were decreased in PCB treated animals. Administration of vitamin C restored the thyroid hormone levels. Conclusion: PCB induces oxidative stress and decreases the antioxidant enzymes in the ventral prostate of adult male rats; the effects could be reversed by the administration of vitamin C.

Melatonin reduces traumatic brain injury-induced oxidative stress in the cerebral cortex and blood of rats

Free radicals induced by traumatic brain injury have deleterious effects on the function and antioxidant vitamin levels of several organ systems including the brain. Melatonin possesses antioxidant effect on the brain by maintaining antioxidant enzyme and vitamin levels. We in-vestigated the effects of melatonin on antioxidant ability in the cerebral cortex and blood of traumatic brain injury rats. Results showed that the cerebral cortex β-carotene, vitamin C, vita-min E, reduced glutathione, and erythrocyte reduced glutathione levels, and plasma vitamin C level were decreased by traumatic brain injury whereas they were increased following melatonin treatment. In conclusion, melatonin seems to have protective effects on traumatic brain inju-ry-induced cerebral cortex and blood toxicity by inhibiting free radical formation and supporting antioxidant vitamin redox system.

Lipophilic Enhance of Vitamin C Protective Activity Against Free-radical-induced Damage in vivo

A group of experimental rats under free radical damage are given various amounts of a lipophilic vitamin C(ascorbyl-6-laurate, VC-12), and its parent compound, vitamin C, respectively. It has been found that the effects of 1 12 mmol/kg VC-12 on decreasing triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and lipid peroxide(LPO), and increasing high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-c) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) are similar to those of 2 27 mmol/kg vitamin C. In addition, VC-12(1 12 mmol/kg) can increase the prostacycline(PGI 2) and decrease the thromboxane(TXA 2) even better than vitamin C(2 27 mmol/kg). The above facts demonstrate that the antioxidative activity of VC-12 is higher than twice that of vitamin C. So, ascorbyl-6-laurate may be a novel antioxidant drug against free radical damage.

Comprehensive evaluation of 20 pomegranate(Punica granatum L.) cultivars in China

Recent investigations on pomegranate products have significantly increased and successfully drawn consumers’ attention to nutritional and medicinal values, promoting the pomegranate industry’s development worldwide. However, little information on pomegranates grown in China is available. Morphological and chemical characterizations of fruits and arils from 20 pomegranate cultivars in six regions of China were investigated. Combined with overall scores by principal component analysis, ‘Yushiliu No. 1’, ‘Taishanhong No. 2’, ‘Tunisia’ and ‘Mollar’ were promising cultivars, and Chinese researchers bred the first two. It was surprising that ‘Mollar’ had bigger fruit size and more aril moisture grown in China than in Spain. Cultivars with higher anthocyanin content in arils were ‘Turkey’, ‘Moyu’ and ‘Red Angel’, which might be used as the source of natural red food colourants. While red husk ‘Hongruyi’ and ‘Hongshuangxi’ with higher vitamin C, aril moisture and lower titratable acid in arils, might also be promising cultivars for further various utilization. Furthermore, the comparison of ‘Tunisia’ fruits from four regions revealed that cultivation locations had more influence on fruit traits than genotypes. Maturity index classification was established for Chinese pomegranate cultivars. Therefore, the results would provide a valuable guide for agricultural cultivation, industrial utilization, and breeding.

Preventive and Therapeutic Potential of Vitamin C in Mental Disorders

In this review,we summarize the involvement of vitamin C in mental disorders by presenting available evidence on its pharmacological effects in animal models as well as in clinical studies.Vitamin C,especially its reduced form,has gained interest for its multiple functions in various tissues and organs,including central nervous system（CNS）.Vitamin C protects the neuron against oxidative stress,alleviates inflammation,regulates the neurotransmission,affects neuronal development and controls epigenetic function.All of these processes are closely associated with psychopathology.In the past few decades,scientists have revealed that the deficiency of vitamin C may lead to motor deficit,cognitive impairment and aberrant behaviors,whereas supplement of vitamin C has a potential preventive and therapeutic effect on mental illness,such as major depressive disorder（MDD）,schizophrenia,anxiety and Alzheimer＇s disease（AD）.Although several studies support a possible role of vitamin C against mental disorders,more researches are essential to accelerate the knowledge and investigate the mechanism in this field.

Thermal Analysis of Vitamin C Affecting Low.temperature Oxidation of Coal

Simultaneous thermal analysis was used to study the influence of Vitamin C as possible chemical additive inhibiting coal oxidation process at low temperature. Some oxidation characteristics of Vitamin C affecting the coal oxidation were investigated at different heating rates. The TG-DSC data show that the impact of Vitamin C on coal oxidation process can be directly evaluated using ignition temperature and critical temperature. Comparison with the effect of water on coal oxidation shows that Vitamin C is more efficient than water. However, the blank experiment conducted with inert a-Al2O3 also suggests that Vitamin C can decompose at about 200 ℃, which limits the usage of Vitamin C on inhibiting coal oxidation.

Effects of Combined Instantaneous High-Pressure and MediumTemperature on the Retention of Total Vitamin Cin Wax Gourd Juices

Based on the instantaneous high-pressure(IHP)produced by high-pressure single pole-cylinder pump, the effects of combining this pressure with medium temperature on the retention of total vitamin C(Vc)in wax gourd juices were investigated under 20 - 80 MPa, 35 - 58℃, pH 3. 0 - 6. 0 and processing time 0-8 min. Results showed that the loss of Vc increased with elevated processing temperatures(50 MPa, 4 min). When the temperature of raw juices was 35℃, the retention of total Vc was higher under 40 - 60 MPa than that under the pressure < 40 MPa or > 60 MPa, and it was up to 94%(4 min). The retention of total Vc decreases slowly within 6 min, but rapidly after 6 min. The pH can also influence the retention of total Vc, and this retention can come to a highest point at pH 6.0.

First-order Derivative Spectrophotometry for the Determination of Vitamin C in Medicament

A novel method for the determination of vitamin C（Vc） is proposed in this article. After the reaction with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent at ambient temperature, Vc solution was scanned at 750--1100 nm, and its first-order derivative spectrum were obtained from the original spectrum. The values of derivative selected at 995 nm were used for determination. It was proved that Vc could quickly react with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent within 5 min and the product was quite stable for a long time. The conditions required for this method is not very complicated, its precision and accuracy are similar to those of the iodometric titration described in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, and the limit of detection is 0.312 μg/mL. The determination of the results of vitamin C tablet, pill, and injection demonstrates that this method has wide pharmaceutical applications.

Does vitamin C have the ability to augment the therapeutic effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells on spinal cord injury？

Methylprednisolone（MP） is currently the only drug confirmed to exhibit a neuroprotective effect on acute spinal cord injury（SCI）. Vitamin C（VC） is a natural water-soluble antioxidant that exerts neuroprotective effects through eliminating free radical damage to nerve cells. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells（BMMSCs）, as multipotent stem cells, are promising candidates in SCI repair. To evaluate the therapeutic effects of MP, VC and BMMSCs on traumatic SCI, 80 adult male rats were randomly divided into seven groups： control, SCI（SCI induction by weight-drop method）, MP（SCI induction, followed by administration of 30 mg/kg MP via the tail vein, once every other 6 hours, for five times）, VC（SCI induction, followed by intraperitoneal administration of 100 mg/kg VC once a day, for 28 days）, MP ＋ VC（SCI induction, followed by administration of MP and VC as the former）, BMMSCs（SCI induction, followed by injection of 3 × 10~6 BMMSCs at the injury site）, and BMMSCs ＋ VC（SCI induction, followed by BMMSCs injection and VC administration as the former）. Locomotor recovery was assessed using the Basso Mouse Scale. Injured spinal cord tissue was evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining. Expression of transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and matrix metalloproteinase-2 genes was determined using real-time quantitative PCR. BMMSCs intervention better promoted recovery of nerve function of rats with SCI, mitigated nerve cell damage, and decreased expression of transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and matrix metalloproteinase-2 genes than MP and/or VC. More importantly, BMMSCs in combination with VC induced more obvious improvements. These results suggest that VC can enhance the neuroprotective effects of BMMSCs against SCI.

Enzyme-catalyzed Transesterification of Unusual Substrate: Synthesis of Acyclovir and L-ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) Vinyl Esters

The synthesis of acyclovir and L-ascorbic acid with divinyladipate was performed with alkaline protease from Bacillus subtilis and lipase from Lipozyme (immobilized from Mucor miehei) in different anhydrous organic solvents. Two corresponding derivatives were obtained.