Hepatoprotective Effect of Vitamin C

(Ascorbic Acid)
Prepared by: Maria Athenna
Mallari

Sources

Reference: (Stangeland T.,

2008)

Recommended Daily Vitamin C

Requirement
Male (18 and above):
75 mg
Female (18 and
above): 70 mg
Reference: (Corazon Barba,
2008)

Hepatoprotective Effect

Reported showed that Vitamin C and its

antioxidative property attenuate hepatic damage
induced by some chemical agents especially in
animals. (Bashandy S. A., 2011)

Function of Vitamin C
They reported Vitamin C normalized
levels of alanine aminotransferase,
aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline
phosphatase, blood hydroperoxide
and malondialdehyde in liver of
carbontetrachloride intoxicated rats.
(Ademuyiwa, 1994) (Kataoka, 2012)

How it Works
Ascorbic acid reduced Cypermethrininduced Cytotoxicity in rat hepatocytes by
recovering 60% of glutathione and 54%
decrease in gamma glutamyl
transpeptidase.
Ascorbic acid was also able to preserved
100% of cell integrity and modulated
alanine aminotransferase and aspartate
aminotransferase. (Kataoka, 2012)

 Some metals and

heavy metals like
copper, lead,
chromium and
cadmium are
known to induce
hepatic damage in
animals and
humans. (Rajamanickam,
2008) (El-Tohany, 2010)

 Drugs are chemical agents used for

the treatment of ailments. Some
drugs are known to have hepatotoxic
effects in human and animals.
Vitamin C has shown tremendous
protective effect against drugs and
chemical agents induced
hepatotoxicity. (Al-shathly, 2012)

Conclusion
It was observed that vitamin C
exhibited a reputable hepatoprotective
effect in humans and animals by
inhibited hepatotoxicity induced by
drugs, heavy metals, organophosphate
insecticides and some chemical
agents.

Bibliography
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