VITAMIN C

o Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin

o The use of vitamin C in megadoses to cure
everything from common cold to cancer
o Chemically it is known as ascorbic acid
o Ascorbic acid is a hexose derivative & closely
resembles monosaccharide's in structure
o Vitamin C exists in two forms
o L – ascorbic acid (reduces form)
o L – Dehydro ascorbic acid (oxidized form)
o The acidic property of vitamin C is due to the
enolic hydroxyl group
o Vitamin C is strong reducing agent
o L – ascorbic acid undergoes oxidation to form
dehydro ascorbic acid & it is reversible reaction
o Ascorbic acid & dehydro ascorbic acid are
biologically active
o D – ascorbic acid is biologically inactive
o Ascorbic acid is present in all tissue & plasma as
reduced form
o Oxidation of ascorbic acid is rapid in the presence
of copper
o Vitamin C is heat labile
o In the process of cooking about 50% of vitamin
passes to water & 20% is oxidized
o Biosynthesis of ascorbic acid:
o Many animals can synthesize ascorbic acid from
glucose via uronic acid pathway
o Man, other primates, guinea pigs and bats cannot
synthesize ascorbic acid due to deficiency of the
enzyme L – gulonolactone oxidase
o It is readily absorbed from stomach & small
intestine
o Storage:
o Only small amounts of vitamin C are stored in the
body (1 gm)
o It is present in the tissues as ascorbic acid &
dehydro ascorbic acid
o Mainly found in retina, adrenal gland, pituitary &
thymus
o Ascorbate 2-sulfate is urinary excretary form of
ascorbic acid
o Oxalate is another metabolite & is excreted in
urine
o Coenzyme Forms
o Ascorbic acid ( reduced form)
o Dehydro ascorbic acid (oxidized form)
o Involves reversible oxidation – reduction reactions
o Interconversion of ascorbic acid to dehydro
ascorbic acid
o Proline hydroxylase:
o Proline hydroxylase catalyzes the hydroxylation of
proline on collagen
o Ascorbic acid & ferrous iron are cofactors
o Ascorbic acid is essential to keep the iron in
ferrous form
o It essential for maturation &cross-linking of
collagen
 Proline

Ascorbic acid O2
(Fe++)

H2O

Proline hydroxylase
Succinate

α- Ketoglutarate

Hydroxy proline
o Lysine hydroxylase catalyzes the hydroxylation of
lysine residues present on collagen (free
lysine is not hydroxylated)
o Ascorbic acid & ferrous iron are cofactors
o Ascorbic acid is essential to keep the iron in ferrous
form
o It essential for maturation &cross-linking of collagen
 Lysine

Ascorbic acid O2
(Fe++)
H2O

Succinate Lysine hydroxylase

α- Ketoglutarate

Hydroxy lysine
o Hydroxylation occurs after the peptide chain synthesis (post-
translational modifications)
o In vitamin C deficiency, collagen synthesis is defective, delayed
wound healing
o It is administered after surgery to enhance wound
healing
o In tyrosine catabolism Parahydroxy phenyl-
pyruvate hydroxylase catalyzes the formation of
homogentisic acid form parahydroxy phenyl
pyruvate
o Ascorbic acid is required for this reaction

Parahydroxyphenyl pyruvate

Ascorbic acid O2 Parahydroxy phenylpyruvate

(Cu ++) hydroxylase

Homogentisic acid
o In catecholamine synthesis Dopamine β oxidase
catalyzes the formation of norepinephrine from
dopamine
o This is essential for synthesis of catecholamines
o Adrenal medulla is rich in vitamin C

Dopamine

Ascorbic acid
Dopamine β oxidase

Norepinephrine
o Ferrochelatase catalyzes the formation of heme
from protoporphyrin IX
o Vitamin C is necessary for the incorporation of
Fe++ into protoporphyrin IX to form heme
o Vitamin C keeps the iron in ferrous form

Protoporphyrin IX

Ascorbic acid , Fe++

Ferrochelatase

Heme
o In the biosynthesis of bile acids Cholesterol 7 α
– hydroxylase catalyzes the formation of 7 α –
hydroxycholesterol from cholesterol
o In this vitamin C is a cofactor
o It is a rate limiting step in bile acid synthesis

Cholesterol
NADPH + H+
Cholesterol 7 α
Ascorbic acid
hydroxylase
NADP

7 α - hydroxy Cholesterol
o Bone tissues possess an organic matrix,
collagen & inorganic calcium & phosphate
o Vitamin C is required for bone formation
o Tryptophan metabolism:
o Ascorbic acid is necessary for the hydroxylation
of tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan
o It is required for the formation of serotonin
o Iron metabolism:
o Ascorbic acid increases the iron absorption from
the intestine
o Ascorbic acid reduces ferric iron to ferrous state,
which is commonly absorbed
o Folic acid metabolism:
o Vitamin C needed for the formation of FH4
o In association with FH4, it is involved in
maturation of RBC
o Peptide hormone synthesis:
o Hydroxylation of glycine is carried out by
peptidyl glycine hydroxylase which requires
vitamin C
o Steroid synthesis:
o Adrenal gland possesses high levels of ascorbic
acid
o Ascorbic acid is necessary for hydroxylation
reactions in the synthesis of corticosteroid
hormones
o Sparing action of other vitamins:
o Ascorbic acid is a strong antioxidant
o It spares vitamin A, E and some B-complex
vitamins from oxidation
o Immunological function:
o Vitamin C increases the synthesis of
immunoglobulins & increases the phagocytic
action of leucocytes
o Cataract:
o Vitamin C is concentrated in the lens of eye
o Regular intake of ascorbic acid reduces the risk
of cataract formation
o Anti-oxidant property:
o Vitamin C is an antioxidant
o It reduces the risk of cancer, coronary heart
diseases
 Harper’s Biochemistry 25th Edition.
 Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry by Tietz.
 Text Book of Medical Biochemistry-A R Aroor.
 Text Book of Biochemistry-DM Vasudevan
 Text Book of Biochemistry-MN Chatterjea
 Text Book of Biochemistry-Dr.U.Satyanarana