Collection of Studies on Vitamin C and Helicobacter
 


J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2003 Jul;37(1):53-62. Links


Correlation Between Helicobacter pylori Infection and Vitamin C Levels in
Whole Blood, Plasma, and Gastric Juice, and the pH of Gastric Juice in
Korean Children.


Park JH, Kim SY, Kim DW, Lee WG, Rhee KH, Youn HS.

*Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Pusan National University,
Pusan, Korea; Departments of dagger Pediatrics and double dagger
Microbiology, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju,
Korea.

BACKGROUND It is well known that chronic gastritis induced by Helicobacter
pylori may be associated with hypochlorhydria and may also be accompanied by
low levels of vitamin C in plasma and gastric juice in adults. This study
investigates the relationship between H. pylori infection and vitamin C
levels in the blood, plasma and gastric juice and the gastric juice pH of
Korean children.METHODS During a 5-year period, multiple gastric antral
biopsies were taken from 452 children who underwent gastroduodenoscopy. The
biopsy specimen was inoculated into phenol red buffered urea broth and
incubated for 48 hours to detect color changes. The histopathologic findings
were evaluated using the Sydney System. Concentrations of vitamin C in whole
blood, plasma, and gastric juice aspirate were measured using the
2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method.RESULTS Four hundred fifty-two patients
(228 boys, 224 girls) aged 1 to 15 years were enrolled in this study. H.
pylori was detected in 112 patients (24.8%) using histology, whereas it was
found in 204 patients (45.1%) using the urease test. One hundred seven
patients (23.7%) had active gastritis, and 421 patients (93.1%) had chronic
gastritis. Vitamin C levels in whole blood, plasma, and gastric juice
exhibited significant negative correlation with the age of patients, the
histologic density of H. pylori, the degree of active and chronic gastritis,
and the severity of H. pylori infection (based on urease positivity and
histologic density of H. pylori). Gastric juice pH was correlated with the
degree of chronic gastritis and was significantly higher in urease-positive
patients.CONCLUSIONS The data demonstrate that vitamin C levels in whole
blood, plasma, and gastric juice and the gastric juice pH in Korean children
are closely related to the severity of H. pylori infection and the
histologic changes in the stomach. These data suggest that vitamin C may
play a role in determining infection and progression, and vitamin C
supplementation may be an important axis for the management of H. pylori
infection in children

Sci. 2003 Apr;94(4):378-82. Related Articles, Links


The effect of 5-year vitamin C supplementation on serum pepsinogen level and
Helicobacter pylori infection.


Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y, Okubo S, Hayashi M, Kakizoe T, Tsugane S.

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Division, National Cancer Center Research
Institute East, Kashiwa 277-8577, Japan. stsugane@east.ncc.go.jp

We conducted a population-based, double-blind, randomized controlled trial
to examine the effect of vitamin C supplementation on serum pepsinogen (PG)
level, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection, and cytotoxin-associated
gene A (Cag A) status. Subjects aged 40 to 69 years living in one village in
Akita prefecture, a high-risk area for gastric cancer in Japan, were
recruited through annual health check-up programs. Among 635 subjects
diagnosed as having chronic gastritis on the basis of serum PG levels, after
excluding ineligible cases, 439 subjects were assigned to one of four groups
using a 2 x 2 factorial design (0 or 15 mg/day beta-carotene and 50 or 500
mg/day vitamin C). However, based on the results from two beta-carotene
trials in the United States, we discontinued beta-carotene (vitamin C
supplementation was continued). Finally, 120 subjects in the low-dose group
(vitamin C 50 mg), and 124 subjects in the high-dose group (vitamin C 500
mg) completed the 5-year supplementation. The difference in the change of
PGI/II ratio between baseline and after 5-year follow up was statistically
significant between the intervention groups among those who completed the
supplementation: - 0.25 for the low-dose group and - 0.13 for the high-dose
group (P = 0.046). To conclude, vitamin C supplementation may protect
against progression of gastric mucosal atrophy

Exp Dermatol. 2003 Jun;12(3):237-244. Related Articles, Links


Topical ascorbic acid on photoaged skin. Clinical, topographical and
ultrastructural evaluation: double-blind study vs. placebo.


Humbert PG, Haftek M, Creidi P, Lapiere C, Nusgens B, Richard A, Schmitt D,
Rougier A, Zahouani H.

Department of Dermatology, Hospital Saint Jacques, University of
Franche-Comte, Besancon, France, INSERM U.346/CNRS, 'Peau humaine et
Immunite', E. Herriot Hospital, Lyon, France, Laboratory of Connective
Tissues Biology, Tour de Pathology, University of Liege, Sart Tilman,
Belgium, La Roche Posay Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Asnieres, France, The
Laboratoire de Tribologie et Dynamique des Systemes, UMR CNRS 5513, Ecole
Centrale de Lyon, Ecully, France.

Vitamin C is known for its antioxidant potential and activity in the
collagen biosynthetic pathway. Photoprotective properties of topically
applied vitamin C have also been demonstrated, placing this molecule as a
potential candidate for use in the prevention and treatment of skin ageing.
A topically applied cream containing 5% vitamin C and its excipient were
tested on healthy female volunteers presenting with photoaged skin on their
low-neck and arms in view to evaluate efficacy and safety of such treatment.
A double-blind, randomized trial was performed over a 6-month period,
comparing the action of the vitamin C cream vs. excipient on photoaged skin.
Clinical assessments included evaluation at the beginning and after 3 and 6
months of daily treatment. They were performed by the investigator and
compared with the volunteer self assessment. Skin relief parameters were
determined on silicone rubber replicas performed at the same time-points.
Cutaneous biopsies were obtained at the end of the trial and investigated
using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. Clinical examination by
a dermatologist as well as self-assessment by the volunteers disclosed a
significant improvement, in terms of the 'global score', on the vitamin
C-treated side compared with the control. A highly significant increase in
the density of skin microrelief and a decrease of the deep furrows were
demonstrated. Ultrastructural evidence of the elastic tissue repair was also
obtained and well corroborated the favorable results of the clinical and
skin surface examinations. Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream was an
effective and well-tolerated treatment. It led to a clinically apparent
improvement of the photodamaged skin and induced modifications of skin
relief and ultrastructure, suggesting a positive influence of topical
vitamin C on parameters characteristic for sun-induced skin ageing





Neuroreport. 2003 Jul 1;14(9):1263-5. Related Articles, Links


Ascorbate treatment attenuates the Huntington behavioral phenotype in mice.

Rebec GV, Barton SJ, Marseilles AM, Collins K.

The R6/2 mouse line expresses exon 1 of the human gene for Huntington
disease (HD) and shows behavioral symptoms as early as 6 weeks of age. In
the striatum, a forebrain target of HD, these animals show a
behavior-related deficit in extracellular ascorbate, the deprotonated form
of vitamin C. We report here that this deficit may contribute to the HD
behavioral phenotype. Regular injections of ascorbate (300 mg/kg/day, 4
days/week) beginning at symptom onset restored the behavior-related release
of ascorbate in striatum and also improved behavioral responding. Compared
to vehicle, ascorbate treatment significantly attenuated the neurological
motor signs of HD without altering overall motor activity. Ascorbate
regulation of striatal function appears key for understanding HD

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