Ascorbic Acid Supplementation Research Articles

Mitigation of benznidazole toxicity and oxidative stress following ascorbic acid supplementation in an adult traveller with chronic indeterminate Chagas' disease.

Benznidazole is an effective drug in the trypanocidal treatment of acute and chronic indeterminate Chagas' disease (CD). However, adverse drug reactions (ADR) are common and frequently cause patients to discontinue treatment. We hypothesized that antioxidant supplementation could mitigate benznidazole-induced toxicity. We co-supplemented an adult traveller with chronic indeterminate CD who experienced benznidazole ADR with ascorbic acid (AA), 1000 mg/day. We measured selected serum biomarkers of oxidative stress [total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidative status (TOS), nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), malondialdehyde (MDA), extracellular glutathione peroxidase (GPX3), catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD)] at timepoints before and throughout benznidazole treatment and after AA co-supplementation. AA co-supplementation effectively mitigated benznidazole-induced ADR during the aetiological treatment of chronic indeterminate CD. The kinetics of serum biomarkers of oxidative stress suggested significantly decreased oxidative insult in our patient. We hypothesize that the key pathophysiological mechanism of benznidazole-associated toxicity is oxidative stress, rather than hypersensitivity. AA co-supplementation may improve adherence to benznidazole treatment of chronic indeterminate (or acute) CD. Oxidative stress biomarkers have the potential to guide the clinical management of CD. Prospective studies are needed to establish the benefit of antioxidant co-supplementation to benznidazole treatment of CD in reducing benznidazole toxicity, parasite clearance and the prevention of end-organ damage.

Interactions of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid and vitamin C on growth performance, anti-oxidation and muscle quality of abalone Haliotis discus hannai Ino

A 93-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and vitamin C (VC) on the growth performance, anti-oxidation and muscle quality of abalone Haliotis discus hannai (initial body weight: 26.89 ± 0.26 g; initial shell length: 60.36 ± 0.25 mm). Six experimental diets in a 3 × 2 two-factor design were formulated with graded levels of dietary EPA (0.25%, 0.75% and 1.25%) and dietary VC (0 and 1260 mg/kg). Results showed that the weight gain rate (WGR) of abalone was significantly increased with the increasing dietary EPA levels (P < 0.05), but there was no significant effect of dietary VC on the WGR. The significant highest superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was observed in the group with 1.25% of dietary EPA and 1260 mg/kg of dietary VC, and there was a significant interaction between dietary EPA and VC (P < 0.05). Dietary EPA supplementation significantly improved muscle hardness and the content of ∑n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, volatile compounds, adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) and inosine-5′-monophosphate (IMP) in muscle. Dietary VC supplementation significantly improved the muscle hardness, springiness, chewiness, and the contents of volatile compounds, hydroxyproline and IMP in muscle (P < 0.05). Significant interactions between dietary EPA and VC were observed on volatile compounds, AMP and IMP (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary EPA and VC interactively influence the anti-oxidative capability and muscle quality of abalone.

The application of ascorbic acid as a therapeutic feed additive to boost immunity and antioxidant activity of poultry in heat stress environment.

Ascorbic acid, widely known as vtamin C, is an essential nutrient for animals such as poultry. Ascorbic acid in poultry feed improves animal health and thus increases the growth performance of birds. Ascorbic acid can be used in the form of synthetic products or can be naturally obtained from fruits and plants. It is soluble in water and can be easily administered in drinking water and the diet. Poultry can synthesize ascorbic acid in the body. However, the performance of the animals can be improved by adding ascorbic acid to their diet. In addition, ascorbic acid is called an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. This increases their resistance to disease during the transition season. Ascorbic acid supplementation positively affects the stress response, especially during the dry season in tropical countries. Furthermore, supplementing ascorbic acid in the poultry’s diet improves resistance to diseases, regulates stress, and helps in the body’s oxidation process. Ultimately, this enhances the laying rate, egg hatch performance, and higher poultry productivity. For layers at the end of the laying period, it helps increase the quality of the eggshell and reduces the proportion of broken eggs. Ascorbic acid has a strong relationship with other vitamins such as vitamin E and other substances such as zinc, safflower oil, folic acid, and a fibrous diet. This review aims to synthesize all the information of ascorbic acid in the poultry’s diet, thereby providing the general role of ascorbic acid for the poultry industry.

Association of Serum Vitamin C With NAFLD and MAFLD Among Adults in the United States.

Background and AimsDespite the remarkable progress of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), formerly named non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the disease remains poorly improved. Since increased oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to the initiation and progression of fatty liver disorders, vitamin C (VC), an antioxidant agent, might be a suitable treatment option for MAFLD. However, the lack of clinically confirmed benefits makes clinicians challenging to recommend antioxidant supplements for MAFLD individuals.MethodsHerein, the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017–2018 data were collected to evaluate the potential association between the serum VC levels with the risk of different categories of NALFD and the newly proposed MAFLD terminology. Hepatic steatosis was defined as controlled attenuated parameter scores ≥ 263 dB/m, whereas liver fibrosis (LF) status was defined as F0–F4, with the cutoff values of median liver stiffness being 6.3, 8.3, 10.5, and 12.5 (KPa), respectively. A cross-sectional analysis was performed to calculate the odds rate and determine the potential beneficial effects of VC.ResultsA total of 4,494 participants aged more than 18 years and conducted transient elastography examinations were included. Our findings demonstrated that participants with increased serum VC status were more likely to be female predominant, more educated, and moderate drinkers. Interestingly, female participants tended to have a lower prevalence of NAFLD, MAFLD, LF, and liver cirrhosis (LC) after stratification by gender. Moreover, our results revealed that participants from the quartile three group (quartile 3: 50.5–67.0 μmol/L) experienced a slightly lower risk of MAFLD than the risk of NAFLD. Of note, the serum concentration of VC (quartile 2: 30.9–50.5 μmol/L) inversely associated with LF and LC was lower than the serum VC level (quartile 3) associated with NAFLD and MAFLD. Notably, individuals from the quartile 3 group experienced a statistically significant 32.5, 42.0, 45.7, and 71% decrease in risk of NAFLD, MAFLD, LF, and LC, respectively.ConclusionIn summary, our findings suggested an inverse association between serum VC levels and NAFLD, MAFLD, LF, or LC. Additionally, adjustment of VC supplementation according to age, gender, and ethnicity may be a promising candidate for these diseases.

Foliar supplementation of ascorbic acid modulates biochemical performance of silkworm, Bombyx mori under thermal stress.

Dietary supplementation of ascorbic acid was found to be effective in modifying the composition of essential biomolecules. A relative investigation on effects of exogenous dietary supplementation of 0.2% ascorbic acid on the fifth instar larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori exposed to a high thermal stress of range 40±2°C was carried out in the lab-set conditions. The observed elevation in various biomolecules, viz., DNA, RNA, protein, lipids, and carbohydrates were quantified in both the thermal stress-induced test groups and in the control, set aside. The test results so obtained were proven to be statistically significant. The present study reveals that foliar supplementation of ascorbic acid has been effective in positively-modulating the biochemical performance in larvae exposed to thermal stress. Moreover, the study also uncovers the possibilities of ascorbic acid as a potential candidate, capable of facilitating the production of good quality cocoons, from larvae exposed to thermal stress.

Evaluation effects of ascorbic acid leads to activate and induce osteogenic protein marker expression: in silico and in-vitro study

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that can differentiate into several cell types including chondrocytes and osteocytes. The process of differentiation into such tissues is aided by transcription factors and collagen gene markers. Collagen biosynthesis is influenced by the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and ascorbic acid cofactors of the prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) enzyme found in human cell receptors. The focus of this study is evaluation of how in silico methods can elucidate the effect of ascorbic acid on PHD2 and its expression. This study aimed to evaluate the role of ascorbic acid in its interaction with PHD2 (in silico) and the expression of type 1 collagen (COL1), type 2 collagen (COL2), and VEGF. Methods: The technique of in silico molecular docking consisted of three steps: preparation of PHD2 receptors using AutoDock tools, preparation of ligand ascorbic acid using AutoDock tools, and molecular docking using AutoDock Vina. The results of in silico molecular docking were visualized using pyMOL and BIOVIA discovery studio. Furthermore, in vitro MSCs from adipose tissue were isolated and characterized based on protein marker expression. The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation (50 and 100 mg/mL) on stem cell differentiation was evaluated based on the mRNA ratio of VEGF/COL1, VEGF/COL2, and COL2/COL1. Results: Molecular docking of ligand ascorbic acid with PHD2 resulted in nine poses. The third pose was chosen because it had an affinity of -5.7 kcal/mol and a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 1.96, indicating a valid docking result. Meanwhile, the 2D conformer showed van der Waals bonds on Tyr303 and Try329 residues. MSCs were differentiated into adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteocytes. Regarding the marker ratio of gene expression, at 50 mg/ml ascorbic acid there was an increase in the VEGF/COL1 and VEGF/COL2 ratios and a decrease in the COL2/COL1 ratio compared with the control; at 100 mg/ml ascorbic acid there was a decrease in both ratios (VEGF/COL1 and COL2/COL1), and the VEGF/COL2 ratio continued to increase. Conclusions: In silico molecular docking between PHD2 and ascorbic acid, which was studied via bioinformatics, resulted in a stable interaction with good ligand position. Further in vitro studies would support the influence of ascorbic acid on transcription factors, collagen gene markers, and the differentiation of MSCs.

Plasma Ascorbic Acid Levels in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients.

Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is a physiological antioxidant that has been found to be deficient in critically ill adults with sepsis and acute respiratory distress system. In adults, ascorbic acid supplementation has been shown to reduce the need for vasopressors and mechanical ventilation. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of ascorbic acid deficiency in critically ill pediatric patients. This prospective, single-centered study analyzed 34 patients aged 1 month to 18 years old with septic shock and/or acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation in a quaternary, urban, pediatric intensive care unit. Plasma ascorbic acid levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography within 24 hours of meeting eligibility criteria. The median level was 23.34 µM (IQR [11.45, 39.14]). Twenty-three patients had repeat samples that were collected 3 to 5 days later. The median for repeat samples was higher at 42.41 µM (IQR [13.08, 62.43]). Patients who were enterally fed had significantly higher levels than those who were not (62.4 ± 7.7 µM vs. 32.4 ± 7.1 µM; p = 0.03). Ascorbic acid levels vary widely among critically ill children with septic shock and/or respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, but one-half of our patients had deficient levels that are typically seen in scurvy. Further studies are warranted to investigate the significance of low levels as well as the impact of normalizing levels through nutritional support.

The ameliorative role of ascorbic acid against blood disorder, immunosuppression, and oxidative damage of oxytetracycline in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

This experiment was aimed to determine the possible beneficial effects of dietary ascorbic acid (AA) on hematological indices, immune responses, and antioxidative capacity of Oncorhynchus mykiss treated with antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC). A total of 150 fish were divided evenly among five experimental groups (30 fish of each, in 3 replicates) receiving diets containing OTC (0 and 100mg per kg fish weight) and AA (100, 200, 400, and 800mg per kg fish diet) for 28days. Treatments include group A or control (100mg AA without OTC), group B (100mg AA with OTC), group C (200mg AA with OTC), group D (400mg AA with OTC), and group E (800mg AA with OTC). The results obtained showed that the hematological indices (red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and neutrophils), immunological parameters (plasma lysozyme, plasma complement, and skin mucus alkaline phosphatase activities), and antioxidant enzymes activities (superoxide dismutase and catalase) were significantly decreased by OTC in O. mykiss fed control diet (P < 0.05). The results also revealed that OTC significantly increased the activity of biochemical enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase) in the plasma of O. mykiss fed control diet (P < 0.05). However, in comparison to the control diet, feeding fish with higher amounts of AA (400 and 800mg/kg diet) significantly restored the hematological, immunological, and antioxidative responses in OTC-treated groups (p < 0.05). These findings show that the dietary supplementation of AA at 400 or 800mg/kg diet is beneficial in relieving O. mykiss from OTC-induced oxidative stress and immunosuppression.

Ascorbic acid specifically reduces the misclassification of nonirritating reactive chemicals in the OptiSafe™ macromolecular eye irritation test

Recently, we showed that the addition of physiological concentrations of ascorbic acid, a tear antioxidant, to the OptiSafe™ macromolecular eye irritation test reduced the false-positive (FP) rate for chemicals that had reactive chemistries, leading to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and molecular crosslinking. The purpose of the current study was to 1) increase the number of chemicals tested to comprehensibly determine whether the antioxidant-associated reduction in OD is specific to FP chemicals associated with ROS chemistries and 2) determine whether the addition of antioxidants interferes with the detection of true positive (TP) and true negative (TN) ocular irritants. We report that when ascorbic acid is added to the test reagents, retesting of FP chemicals with reactive chemistries show significantly reduced OD values (P < 0.05). Importantly, ascorbic acid had no significant effect on the OD values of TP or TN chemicals regardless of chemical reactivity. These findings suggest that supplementation of ascorbic acid in alternative ocular irritation tests may help improve the detection of TN for those commonly misclassified reactive chemicals.

Effects of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative stress and serum paraoxonase/arylesterase activities in patients on long-term hemodialysis

BackgroundOxidative stress increases oxidizability of apolipoprotein-B containing lipoproteins and decreases paraoxonase (PON) activity in hemodialysis (HD) patients and plays an important part in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In HD patients, plasma ascorbic acid (AA) levels are decreased either due to the loss by hemodialysis membranes or due to malnutrition and contribute to the imbalance of antioxidant defense mechanisms. We hypothesized that long-term ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation recovers oxidizability of lipoproteins in HD patients by reinforcing PON activity. MethodsTwenty-nine adult patients were treated with 100mg and 500mg AA at the end of each HD session thrice a week for two consecutive 16 weeks-periods, respectively. Blood samples were obtained before the first HD session and prior to the first HD sessions following the 100mg AA-supplemented and the 500mg AA-supplemented periods. ResultsPON activities were significantly increased after 100mg (p<0.05) and 500mg AA (p<0.001) supplementation periods compared to the basal level. Apo-B lipoprotein oxidizability (Δ-MDA) was significantly decreased after 500mg AA supplementation compared to both basal (p<0.05) and 100mg AA supplementation periods (p<0.05). Plasma AA concentrations were negatively correlated with Δ-MDA levels (R=−0.327; p<0.01). ConclusionOur results suggest that long-term parenteral 500mg AA supplementation improves PON activity alleviating apo B-containing lipoproteins oxidizability in HD patients.

Intertubular morphometric and ultrastructural testes analyses in mdx mice.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) reproductive alterations and the influence of antioxidant treatments may aid in understanding morphometry testicular quantification. In this context, the aim of the present study was to characterize the intertubular compartment (ITC) morphometry of animal testes in mdx mice supplemented with ascorbic acid (AA). Sixteen mice were used, namely the C57BL/10 (non-dystrophic) and C57BL/10Mdx (dystrophic) lineages, distributed into the following groups: Control (C60), Dystrophic (D60), Control supplemented with AA (CS60), Dystrophic supplemented with AA (DS60). A total of 200 mg/kg of AA were administered to mice for 30 days. Subsequently, the testicles were collected, weighed, and fragmented. The obtained fragments were fixed in Karnovsky's solution (pH 7.2) and embedded in historesin for morphometric and transmission electron microscopy assessments. Leydig cells were hypertrophic in the D60 group, but was reverted by AA supplementation in the DS60 group. The DS60 group also exhibited increased intertubular volume compared to the CS60 group. The ultrastructural images identified multilamellar bodies in dystrophic animals (lipid storage) and telocyte cells (transport substances) in both control and dystrophic animals. Morphometric alterations were, therefore, noted in the intertubular compartment due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), with AA administration capable of altering Leydig cells in this condition.

Effect of Ascorbic acid and Yucca Extract Supplementation on the Performance and Hematology of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Heat Stress

The experiment was performed by applying different concentration levels of ascorbic acid and yucca extract to assess the production performance of broiler chickens during heat stress. A trial of 300 day-old commercial broiler chicks was carried out on littered floor for a period of 4 weeks. The chicks were randomly allocated into five treatments and each dietary treatment consisted of 4 replicates having 15 chicks in each of the replication. The experimental treatments were follows:T1(control group without any additives),T2(1ml YE with 16L drinking water), T3(200 mg AA per kg feed), T4(1ml YE with 16L drinking water and 200 mg AA per kg feed) and T5(1ml YE with 20L drinking water and 150 mg AA per kg feed). The findings revealed that there had significant effects (P&lt;0.05) in body weight gain, feed consumption and FCR value. Among the treatment groups FCR value found better in T4 group. The results also revealed that the treatments had significant effects(P&lt;0.05) in dressed wings, breast, back, thigh, drumstick. However, in treatment T4 group the carcass weight is better than the other treatment groups.The Hemoglobin, WBC, RBC, Neutrophil, Lymphocyte, Monocyte, PCV and MCV was statistically insignificant(P&gt;0.05) among different treatments.In economic aspect, though total expenditure was lower in control group but higher profit per bird was found in other treatment groups. Therefore, this study suggested that the Yucca extract and ascorbic acid perform better in broiler rearing even they are on stressed condition.

Ascorbic acid induced TET2 enzyme activation enhances cancer immunotherapy efficacy in renal cell carcinoma.

Exploring the regulatory mechanism of PD-L1 in renal cancer is one of the key strategies to improve the response of renal cancer patients to checkpoint blockade therapy. In this study, the synergistic effect of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) supplementation and the impact of TET2 depletion on anti-PD-L1 therapy were determined in xenograft model experiments. Lymphocyte infiltration and chemokine expression were determined using flow cytometry and qRT-PCR. To determine the downstream targets of TET2, we performed hMeDip-seq and RNA-seq analyses. The molecular mechanism was further confirmed by hMeDip-qPCR, MeDip-qPCR, bisulfite sequencing, Western blotting, qRT-PCR and xenograft model experiments in vitro and in vivo. The present study demonstrated that ascorbic acid enhanced the efficacy of immunotherapy and that the loss of TET2 function enabled renal cancer cells to evade antitumor immunity. Ascorbic acid treatment significantly increased the intratumoral infiltration of T cells and the expression of cytokines and chemokines, while the loss of TET2 impaired the infiltration of T cells and the expression of cytokines and chemokines. TET2 was recruited to IRF1 by IFN-γ-STAT1 signaling, thereby maintaining IRF1 demethylation and ultimately inducing PD-L1 expression. These results suggest a new strategy of stimulating TET activity to improve immunotherapy for renal cell carcinoma.

L-ascorbic acid-2-phosphate and Fibrin Substrate Enhances the Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-derived Stem Cells

Background: Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have been developed as a substitute for chondrocytes in cartilage tissue engineering. This study aimed to evaluate the potency of ascorbic acid to induce the chondrogenic differentiation of human ASCs cultured on fibrin substrate. Methods: Human ASCs were isolated by an enzymatic process and characterized. The fibrin scaffold was fabricated from human blood as a natural scaffold. The ASCs were cultured in 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) supplemented by ascorbic acid in various concentrations (1, 3, 6 mg/ml) and a control without an ascorbic acid supplementation. The chondrogenic differentiation of the ASCs was evaluated involving glycosaminoglycan analysis, and the mRNA expression of type 2 collagen, aggrecan and type 1 collagen. Results: Chondrogenic differentiation occurred when the ASCs were supplemented by 3 mg/ml of ascorbic acid and cultured on a fibrin scaffold confirmed by glycosaminoglycan (GAG) analysis, and the mRNA expression of type 2 collagen and aggrecan. The expression of type 1 collagen, which is an osteogenic marker, was low. Conclusions: ASCs with a supplementation of 3mg/ml of ascorbic acid cultured on a fibrin substrate promotes chondrogenic differentiation.

COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF ALPHA TOCOPHEROL AND ASCORBIC ACID ON BODY WEIGHT OF RATS EXPOSED TO CHRONIC RESTRAINT STRESS

Background: The stress is defined as the constellation of events, which begins with a stimulus, and subsequently results in the activation of certain physiologic systems. This study was planned to determine the comparative effect of ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol on body weight of Sprague Dawley rats exposed to chronic restraint stress. Methods: This comparative experimental study was done in National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. One-hundred-and-twenty male Sprague Dawley rats (mean weight 250±50 grams) were used and divided into 4 equal groups. Group I was taken as control. Group II was exposed to chronic stress, Group III was given only ascorbic acid prior to restraint stress, and Group IV was given only alpha tocopherol prior to restraint stress. Group III &amp; IV were given prior supplementation of ascorbic acid, alpha tocopherol for 1 month. Results: There was a significant decrease in weight gain of rats exposed to the chronic stress as compared to control group. Individual supplementation with ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol resulted in significant improvement of their eating habits with rats supplemented with ascorbic acid. Conclusion: Chronic stress has a detrimental effect on weight. This effect can be minimised by the intake of sufficient amount of antioxidants. Pak J Physiol 2021;17(4):8?10

Effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on pulmonary functions in healthy adults: a randomized controlled pilot study.

The fact that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various pulmonary diseases is supported by the beneficial effect of antioxidants. It is also well known that an altered oxidant-antioxidant balance after the age of 35 years increases the susceptibility to develop obstructive lung diseases later in life. Given this, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of antioxidant supplementation on lung functions in healthy adults after the age of 35 years. Persons of age≥35 years (n=45) were randomized into three arms (each comprising 15 participants) to receive either no intervention (NI arm), ascorbic acid 250mg daily (AA250 arm), or ascorbic acid 500mg daily (AA500 arm) for 6weeks. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC, and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were measured at baseline and 6weeks. Persons of age group (20-30 years) were also enrolled in the study to compare their lung functions and cardiovascular parameters at baseline with those≥35 years of age. All the adverse events experienced by participants were recorded. Baseline pulmonary functions were found to be comparable among the three study arms and compared to≥35 years age group, these parameters were found to be better in the younger age group (20-30 years). Most of the pulmonary functions were comparable among the three study arms at 6weeks. A significant improvement in PEF and % predicted PEF was noted in AA250 arm when compared to baseline values (p=0.049 and 0.026, respectively) and in participants with normal pulmonary functions when compared to those with reduced functions at baseline (p=0.059 and p=0.037). Although ascorbic acid did not affect most ofthe pulmonary functions in healthy adults, it improved PEF and % predicted PEF at a daily dose of 250mg. In this regard, it was found effective in individuals with normal pulmonary indices at baseline.

Effects of ascorbic acid and iron nanoparticles supplements on hyperthermia-induced stress in African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

BackgroundThermal stressors in tropical aquaculture are unavoidable and cause many harmful effects. This study assessed the effects of ascorbic acid (AA) and iron nanoparticles supplementation in the diet of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, and exposed to hyperthermia-induced stress. C. gariepinus juveniles weighing 6.89 ± 0.05 g were randomly distributed into plastic tanks of 48 cm by 30 cm by 31 cm dimension at ten fish per tank in a triplicate treatment. Five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing 35% crude protein were formulated with AA and iron nanoparticles supplementation at (10, 8, 6, 4, 0) g/kg of AA and (0, 4, 6, 8, 0) g/kg of iron nanoparticles in treatment 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively. After 8 weeks of feeding, fish were exposed to hyperthermia-induced stress. Blood was collected from the fish for haematological and biochemical analyses.ResultsResults showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the growth performance and nutrient utilization of fish subjected to hyperthermia-induced stress. Treatment three had the highest specific growth rate of 1.89 g per day and the best feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.48.ConclusionMortality was reduced with the supplementation of the fish diets with AA and iron nanoparticles. Based on the result of this study, a supplementation level containing AA and iron nanoparticles supplementation of 6 g/kg and 4 g/kg were sufficient as a stress-reducing agent in the production of C. gariepinus during hyperthermia stress.

Effects of Vitamin C and E Supplementation on Growth, Fatty Acid Composition, Innate Immunity, and Antioxidant Capacity of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fed Oxidized Fish Oil

This 10-week feeding experiment examined the effects of supplementing vitamin C (VC) and E (VE) in oxidized oil diets on growth, fatty acid composition, blood physiological indicators, innate immunity, antioxidant capacity, and liver and intestine histology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Four diets were produced including a fresh fish oil containing diet (FFO diet), an oxidized fish oil containing diet (OFO diet), and OFO diet supplemented with 500 mg kg–1 VC and 400 mg kg–1 VE (OFO+C500+E400 diet) or 1,000 mg kg–1 VC and 800 mg kg–1 VE (OFO+C1000+E800 diet). Four hundred and twenty fish averaging 46.9 ± 0.32 g were stocked into 12 tanks and fed the diets twice a day to visual satiety. The results showed no significant effect of OFO or vitamins supplementation on growth, feed intake and feed utilization (P &amp;gt; 0.05). The groups that received OFO and OFO+C1000+E800 diets had significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) lower hepatosomatic indices than the other groups. Muscle fatty acid composition showed decreased proportion of 15:0, 16:0, 16:1n-7, 16:2n-4, 18:1n-5, 18:2n-6 (linoleic acid) and total saturated fatty acids in OFO group. Whereas higher percentages of 20:3n-6 and 20:3n-3 were found in OFO group. In addition, the highest ratio of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) was detected in OFO+C500+E400 group. The highest serum triglyceride concentration was recorded in the OFO group. Serum aspartate aminotransferase activity increased in OFO and OFO+C1000+E800 groups compared to OFO+C500+E400 group. Furthermore, significantly higher alkaline phosphatase activity in blood was found in OFO and OFO+C500+E400 groups. Significantly lower serum lysozyme, antiprotease, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were recorded in OFO group compared to FFO and OFO+C500+E400 groups, and an opposite trend was observed for malondialdehyde concentration. Muscle VC and VE concentrations, and liver and intestine histology remained unaffected. To conclude, feeding diet containing oxidized oil with peroxide value of 182 meq kg–1 with/without VC and VE supplementation did not influence growth and tissue VC and VE concentrations of rainbow trout. However, supplementing 500 mg kg–1 VC and 400 mg kg–1 VE reversed the adverse effects of OFO on non-specific immune response and antioxidant capacity.

PSXIII-25 Quality and sensory evaluation of Xhosa goat meat subjected to different watering regimen and vitamin C supplementation

Abstract Water scarcity, often accompanied by limited water intake (WI) in livestock, may result in pre-slaughter stress, thereby affecting meat quality. The study evaluated water restriction (WR) levels with or without vitamin C (VC) supplementations on Xhosa goats’ performance, quality and sensory attributes of its meat. Goats (n = 42; mean weight= 15.92±2.12 kg) were distributed into seven treatments groups: without WR (W0, control), WR of 70% (W70) and 50% (W50) of ad libitum WI, WR of 70% (W70+) and 50% (W50+) of ad libitum WI plus 3g VC daily, and WR of 70% (W70++) and 50% (W50++) of ad libitum WI plus 3g VC and extra 5gVC given every eight-day.VC was administered per os. Body weight changes were taken weekly. At the end of the trial (75-d), slaughtering was done following standard procedures. pH24 was measured in the Longissimus lumborum (LTL) muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs, 24 h post-slaughter. Four pieces (2 cm thick) were cut from the carcass’s LTL muscle and assigned for thaw loss, moisture, TBARS, sensory attributes (colour, texture, taste-odour, acceptability), fat and fat-free dry matter determinations. The sensory scores were transformed to achieve normality. Data obtained were analyzed using the GLM of SAS (2003). The dry matter intake and body weight decreased (P ≤ 0.05) in response to WR levels and rose in the vitamin C treated groups. Effect of WR levels and VC supplementation were not significant (P &amp;gt; 0.05) on TBARS, pH24, colour, odour and thaw loss. The meat appearance, moisture and fat content decreased (P ≤ 0.05) with WR levels. This study demonstrates that reduced body weight due to suboptimal WI could be lessened with daily VC supplementation. Also, WR levels and with or without VC, did not impact negatively on the meat quality parameters like oxidative stability of lipids, thaw loss and pH24

APLICAÇÕES CLÍNICAS DA VITAMINA C: UMA BREVE REVISÃO

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid (AA) is extremely important for humans, as it is not metabolized by the human body, it is necessary to ingest it through diet and / or supplementation. AA has several functions in the body, such as enzymatic cofactors, hormone biosynthesis and antioxidant effect. However, research reports indicate that ingesting high doses of AA may pose health risks. Therefore, the descriptive effect of the clinical application of AA was analyzed. A bibliographic review was carried out and divided into two aspects: the historical view, which was published between 1753 and 2012, and another contemporary study was carried out between 1990 and 2017. The research was carried out on the Academic Google, PubMed, Scielo, Portal de Periódicos da Capes and books, using the keywords: vitamin C, ascorbic acid, antioxidants and pro-oxidants. AA supplements are controversial and their antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects have been described. Its effectiveness in preventing and treating diabetes and cancer is questionable. Therefore, excessive AA supplementation can cause a transition from a healthy to a pathological state, triggering pro-oxidant activity. In addition, the optimal intake dose and the limit between beneficial and harmful doses are still controversial. Therefore, vitamin C should be supplemented with caution and prescribed and supervised by the medical team.