Ascorbic and Dehydroascorbic Acids in Guinea Pigs and Rats

Abstract

The reduction of dehydro-L-ascorbic acid to L-ascorbic acid was studied in normal guinea pigs by means of tracer techniques. Although more than half of the orally administered dehydro-L-ascorbic acid was reduced to L-ascorbic acid only 20% was reduced after intraperitoneal injection. No appreciable conversion of diketo-L-gulonic to L-ascorbic acid was observed. These results are in agreement with previous studies involving bioassay techniques which showed that while dehydro-L-ascorbic acid has antiscorbutic activity, diketo-L-gulonic acid does not. Pretreatment with 3-methyl-cholanthrene, which stimulates the biosynthesis of L-ascorbic acid, caused no marked increase in the reduction of dehydro-L-ascorbic acid in rats.