THE EFFECTS OF ASCORBIC ACID ON MEMBRANE TRANSPORT OF GLUCOSE

The level of glycemia and ascorbic acid was tested of oral glucose-tolerance test (OGTT). This test was done on thirty healthy normoglycemic adult women, between 18 and 30 years of age, who showed no clinical signs of endocrine disturbances.At the beginning of the experiment the level of ascorbic acid and the level of glycemia were determined twelve hours after the last meal. In the following seven days eash of the examined women was given, beside the usual nourishment, 1.000 mg ascorbic acid (two times a day of 500 mg with breakfast and lunch). The level of ascorbic acid the last taken dosage of ascorbic acid. The achieved results of OGTT at the beginning and in the end of the test showed the ascorbic acid in the dosage of 1.000 mg/per day for seven days intensified the level glycemia during OGTT.This hyperglycemy is probably the consequence of the receptor obstruction in cellular membrane by ascorbic acid

THE EFFECT OF ASCORBIC ACID ON PATHOHISTOLOGICAL TUMOR CHARACTERISTICS AND PHENOTYPE CHARACTERISTICS OF LYMPHOCYTES DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL MAMMARY CARCINOMA IN MICE

TIn our previous study we demonstrated that high doses of ascorbic acid prolonged the survival of mice with experimental mammary carcinoma. In this work we studied, ussing the same model, pathohistological characteristics of the tumor and phenotypic changes of lymphocyte subsets in the spleen. Experiments were performed on CBA/H mice. The growh of experimental tumor was induced by injection of mammary adenocarcinoma cells intramuscularly at the femoral region of mice. The animals were divided into control group and three experimental groups (I, II and III). Mice from experimental groups were treated peroraly with 10, 100 and 1000 mg/kg body mass (b.m.) of ascorbic acid, respectively, whereas control mice received physiological saline. Mice were sacrified after 7, 14 and 21 days from the beginning of the experiment. Total tumor mass and its pathohistological characteristics, spleen mass and cellularity as well as relative and total numbers of T cells, B cells and T cell subsets (CD4+ and CD8+) in the spleen, were analyzed. High doses of ascorbic acid decreased tumor mass, stimulated proliferation of fibroblasts and formation of capsula arround the tumor, induced tumor necrosis and increased the number of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Changes of lymphocyte subsets and their numbers varied depending on the applied dose of ascorbic acid and the time elapsed following tumor induction. The most prominent changes, manifested by an increase in the number of CD4+ T cells were observed on the 14th day in II experimental group. Our results suggest that the beneficial effect of ascorbic acid on experimental tumorogenesis in our model was the consequence of its influence on the tumor and on the immune system

GLUCOCORTICOSTEROIDS' EFFECT UPON THE COMPLEMENT LEVEL

The effect of high doses of cortisol upon the level of the overall complements'hemolytic activity and particular complements' components is studies. The experimentsinvolved guinea pigs of male sex of the body mass from 300 to 400 g, namelythose that have not been treated by anything so far. The doses of hydrocortisone(Hemofarm DD) were also used for the experiment. The overall complements'activity was determined by testing the capabilities of a series of various solutions ofthe guinea pigs' serum to separate sheep erythrocytes that were made sensitive byrabbit anti-erythrocyte antibodies. The determination of the C1, C2, C3 and C4complements' components was done by the method of the quantitative diffusion ofthe radial type by using the Partigen blocks Behringwerke AG. The series comprised25 guinea pigs of male sex. The low cortisol level rapidly increase the overallhemolytic activity of the complements of the C1 est erase concentration. Along withthe cortisol dose increase the overall hemolytic complements' activity is dropping aswell as that of the C1, C2, C3 and C4 complements' components

EFFECT OF EXOGENOUS CORTISOL UPON THE SERUM CORTISOL LEVEL

The effect of high doses of cortisol upon the serum cortisol level is studied. Theexperiment is done upon male guinea-pigs of bodily weight of 300 to 400 g. Cortisolis applied in the subcutaneous way to a kilogram of bodily weight, namely, A group -5, B group - 20, C group - 40 and D group - 80. The control group guinea-pigsreceived one ml of the physiological solution. After the six days application the bloodsamples were taken by the cordial puncture. The exogenous cortisol application leadsto an increase of its level in all the cortisol treated groups. The greatest cortisolconcentration is verified twelve hours after the exogenous cortisol application. Withan increasing dose of the applied cortisol the serum cortisol level also rises

ANTIOXIDANT AND PRO-OXIDANT EFFECT OF ASCORBIC ACID

Free radicals attack proteins, lipids, enzymes and DNA causing pathological changes in organism. There are many mechanisms that organism uses to fight against free radicals. Ascorbic acid is one of the strongest reducers and eliminators of free radicals. It reduces stable oxygenic, azoth and thyol radicals and acts as a primary defense against water radicals in blood. When radicals are dissolved in water suspensions of erythrocytes and low density lipoproteins (LDL), ascorbic acid catches and eliminates free radicals before they arrive to the membrane and LDL molecules. Even though ascorbic acid is not capable of eliminating free radicals out of fluid medium, it acts as synergist to alpha-tocopherol in lipid section, contributes to the lessening of lipid tocoperoxil radicals, and above all, regenerates alpha-tocopherol. Ascorbic acid may act as pro-oxidant under in vitro conditions in the presence of metals; however, this effect is probably not important under in vivo conditions where metal ions, being sequestered, become second reducers

Vitamin C and epigenetics: A short physiological overview

In recent years, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has acquired great interest due to its multiple functions, which results in homeostasis of normal tissues and organs. On the other hand, it has been shown that epigenetic modifications may have an important role in various diseases and therefore are a focus of the extraordinary investigation. Ascorbic acid serves as a cofactor for ten-eleven translocation dioxygenases, which are responsible for deoxyribonucleic acid methylation. Also, vitamin C is required for histone demethylation, since it acts as a cofactor of Jumonji C-domain-containing histone demethylases. It seems that vitamin C may be a mediator between the environment and the genome. The precise and multistep mechanism of ascorbic acid in epigenetic control is still not definitely determined. This article intends to provide the basic and newly discovered functions of vitamin C that are related to epigenetic control. Also, this article will help us to better understand the functions of ascorbic acid and will provide the possible implications of this vitamin in the regulation of epigenetic modifications

Platelet Rich Plasma: a short overview of certain bioactive components

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) represents a relatively new approach in regenerative medicine. It is obtained from patient’s own blood and contains different growth factors and other biomolecules necessary for wound healing. Since there are various protocols for PRP preparing, it usually results with PRP generation with different amounts of bioactive substances, which finally may modulate the intensity of wound healing. The reference data about potential effect of some PRP compounds on wound healing, in different tissues, are still controversial. This review summarizes recently known facts about physiological role of certain PRP components and guidance for further research. Also, this review discusses different procedure for PRP generation and potential effect of leukocytes on wound healing

The Effect of Camphor and Borneol on Rat Thymocyte Viability and Oxidative Stress

Camphor and borneol are wildly distributed in the essential oils of medicinal plants from various parts of the World. Our study has been carried out to evaluate the effect of these two bicyclic monoterpenes on rat thymocytes. Camphor and borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL did not induce significant toxicity on the immune system cells, while a significant increase of thymocyte viability was detected when cells were incubated with 50 µg/mL of camphor. A significant increase of cell viability was similarly detected when thymocytes were cultivated with borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL. The role of camphor and borneol in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disturbances in rat thymocytes as well as their potential mechanism(s) of action were also discussed

The Effect of Camphor and Borneol on Rat Thymocyte Viability and Oxidative Stress

Camphor and borneol are wildly distributed in the essential oils of medicinal plants from various parts of the World. Our study has been carried out to evaluate the effect of these two bicyclic monoterpenes on rat thymocytes. Camphor and borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL did not induce significant toxicity on the immune system cells, while a significant increase of thymocyte viability was detected when cells were incubated with 50 µg/mL of camphor. A significant increase of cell viability was similarly detected when thymocytes were cultivated with borneol at concentrations of 0.5 and 5 µg/mL. The role of camphor and borneol in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) disturbances in rat thymocytes as well as their potential mechanism(s) of action were also discussed