The action of vitamin C on the oxidation of tissues in vitro

Abstract

The surviving respiration of thin liver slices from scorbutic guinea-pigs was measured manometrically in O2, and found to be slower than that of liver from normal animals. The addition of 055 mgm. of ascorbic acid increased the O2 uptake of scorbutic liver slices by 5-57% (ave. 25%) ; (31 determinations on 17 animals). With normal guinea-pigs, the O2 uptake of the liver was unaffected or even slightly decreased by the addition of 0.25 mgm. of ascorbic acid. With chopped muscle, the O2 uptake with normal guinea-pigs was slightly increased by 0.1 to 0.25 mgm. ascorbic acid, while with muscle from scorbutic guinea-pigs a relatively large increase was obtained.