The study aimed to assess the toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) on the exocrine and endocrine functions of pancreas, the changes in pancreatic tissue after Cd withdrawal, and the protective effects of vitamin C (VC) and Nigella sativa (NS) against Cd-induced damage. Rats were assigned to: control, Cd-treated (0.5 mg/kg/d intraperitoneal [IP] injection), VC and Cd-treated (receiving 100 mg/kg/d VC orally and Cd concomitantly), NS and Cd-treated (receiving 20 mg/kg/d NS and Cd, simultaneously), and Cd withdrawal (receiving Cd for 30 d then living free for recovery for other 30 d). Blood samples were collected and post-sacrifice pancreatic specimens were processed for light and electron microscope study. Quantitative analyses of pancreatic collagen area%, pancreatic islet parameters, β cell density, and insulin immunoexpression were done. Fasting blood glucose was significantly increased in Cd-treated and Cd-withdrawal groups, while co-treatment with VC and NS caused significant reductions (p < 0.05). Cd-induced extensive degenerative changes in pancreatic acini and islets at light and ultrastructure levels. Obvious fibrosis and congestion of blood vessels were noticed. Significant reductions in pancreatic islet number, volume, and surface area and diminished beta cell count and insulin immunoexpression were observed. After withdrawal of Cd, the whole pancreatic tissue still showed a serious impact. Concomitant treatment with VC or NS obviously reduced these degenerative changes and significantly improved pancreatic islet parameters and insulin immunoexpression. VC showed a better amendment than NS, but this difference was statistically insignificant. Therefore, VC and NS could be used as prophylactic agents that lessen Cd consequences on the pancreas.

In order to improve the esterification efficiency of the enzymatic synthesis of l-ascorbic acid palmitate, the substrate analogue imprinting of the Aspergillus niger lipase-catalyzed esterification process was studied. Oleic acid was selected as the imprinting molecule, oleic acid imprinting immobilized lipase was prepared at pH 8.0, 0.1 g oleic acid, 1.5 mL of 95 % ethanol, and 0.1 g Tween-20. Through solubilization and supersaturation of Vitamin C, the reaction concentration of Vitamin C reached 5.00 % (m/v) in dioxane with 93.99 % esterification rate and 110.72 g/L of product concentration. Moreover, the Vitamin C reaction concentration can reach 8.00 % by using staged substrate feeding, and the esterification rate and product concentration of esterification after 28 h was 156.34 g/L and 82.96 %. Besides, the imprinting-induced conformational changes in enzyme proteins was characterized by fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy. This method provides a pathway for enzymatic production of l-ascorbic acid palmitate.

OBJECTIVE: L-Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in various physiological functions, including immune health. The stability of vitamin C in the gastrointestinal tract its bioavailability is limited. This study aimed to investigate if a liposomal form of vitamin C can increase absorption compared to standard vitamin C.
METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover fashion, 19 males and 8 females (n = 27; 36.0 ± 5.1 years, 165.0 ± 6.9 cm, 70.6 ± 7.1 kg) ingested a single-dose of placebo (PLA), 500 mg vitamin C (VIT C), and 500 mg liposomal vitamin C (LV-VIT C, LipoVantage®, Specnova, LLC, Tyson Corner, VA, USA). Venous blood samples were collected 0, 0.5-, 1-, 1.5-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-, and 24-hours after ingestion and were analyzed for plasma and leukocyte vitamin C concentration.
RESULTS: VIT C and LV-VIT C demonstrated significantly greater Cmax and AUC0 - 24 in plasma and in leukocytes compared to placebo (p < 0.001). Additionally, LV-VIT C had significantly higher Cmax (plasma + 27%, leukocytes + 20%, p < 0.001) and AUC0 - 24 (plasma + 21%, leukocytes + 8%, p < 0.001) values as compared to VIT C.
CONCLUSIONS: Liposomal formulation of vitamin C increases absorption into plasma and leukocytes.
BACKGROUND: Clinical Trials Registry - India (CTRI/2023/04/051789).

Alkaptonuria is an inborn error of metabolism inherited as an autosomal recessive disorder due to a mutation in the homogentisic acid dioxygenase gene. It occurs rarely (global prevalence of alkaptonuria is 1 in 100,000 to 250,000), and mainly affects the joints and connective tissue of the body due to deposition of homogentisic acid giving affected areas a blue-black discoloration (ochronosis).In this case report, we present a male patient, aged 47 years, with joint and scleral involvement. He had been diagnosed many years ago with the disease by gas chromatography. His symptoms kept progressively worsening since he was recently prescribed physiotherapy and vitamin C for his disease, which has not been shown to be an effective treatment. A main reason for his disease deterioration was also the lack of nitisinone availability in his home country, as well as in the subcontinent region generally. We also presen a summary of some previously reported cases and treatment regimens to compare our case and present the comparison as a learning source for future physicians.

OBJECTIVE: There is no evidence on antioxidant-rich diets in preventing hypertension in heat-exposed workers. We aimed to evaluate the effects of formula supplemented with vitamin C (Vit C) and hawthorn beverage on reducing blood pressure (BP) and oxidative stress levels in heat-exposed workers.
METHODS: In the 40-day cluster-randomized controlled trial, four heat-exposed shift-teams were enrolled and randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group was given one Vit C tablet (130 mg) and a 500 mL hawthorn beverage containing 278.7 mg flavonoids daily whereas the control group was given 500 mL of slightly salted water daily; both groups were provided education on a healthy diet. BP and creatinine-corrected urinary 8-isoprostane-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α/Cr) concentrations were assessed at baseline, Day 17 (only BP) and Day 41, respectively.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), and log10-transformed 8-iso-PGF2α/Cr in the inter-vention group decreased by 7.41 mmHg, 7.93 mmHg and 0.232, respectively, from baseline to day 41 (all p<0.05). When comparing BP levels at baseline, DBP in the intervention group was reduced by 5.46 mmHg when compared to control (p<0.05) among participants with lower baseline BP; SBP and DBP experienced reductions of 9.74 and 9.22 mmHg among participants with higher baseline BP (both p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of Vit C and flavonoids rich hawthorn beverage to heat-exposed workers prevented elevated BP caused by heat exposure which may be attributed to its oxidative stress inhibition effects.

Recent research has highlighted potential benefits of vitamin C in managing periodontal diseases, yet systematic reviews to consolidate these findings are scarce. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation in preventing and treating periodontal diseases and elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying these effects. We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, searching three databases up to 13 April 2024, for studies from 2010 onward. Our selection criteria aimed to capture a wide range of studies regarding vitamin C\'s impact on periodontal health. After rigorous screening, 16 studies were included in the final analysis. Meta-analysis techniques were employed to synthesize data and evaluate the association between vitamin C intake and periodontal disease outcomes. The meta-analysis included 17,853 participants from studies with diverse geographical and demographic settings. Notable findings indicated that higher vitamin C intake was associated with a reduction in periodontal disease risk, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.52 (95% CI: 1.49-1.55). The individual studies reported ORs ranging from 0.62 (95% CI: 0.38-0.94) indicating significant protective effects, to 1.66 (95% CI: 1.04-2.64), suggesting increased risks associated with inadequate vitamin C levels. The heterogeneity among the studies was high (I2 = 95.46%), reflecting variability in study design and population characteristics. This systematic review confirms that vitamin C supplementation has a beneficial effect on periodontal health. The significant variability across studies suggests that individual dietary needs and baseline vitamin C levels might influence the effectiveness of supplementation. These findings underscore the importance of personalized nutritional guidance as part of comprehensive periodontal care. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to better understand the causal relationships and potential confounding factors affecting the link between vitamin C intake and periodontal health.

BACKGROUND: Synchronous degradation between anthocyanin and vitamin C was found in fruit and vegetable juice matrices. To investigate whether the C-ring of anthocyanin is the key site of this interaction, cyanidin with four different C-ring modifications (3-glucosylation, 3,5-diglucosylation, 6″-malonylation, pyranylation) was added to vitamin C-containing apple juice, and the changes of anthocyanin retention, vitamin C retention, color, antioxidative activity and differential metabolites were analyzed.
RESULTS: The anthocyanin retention was in the order of pyranylation >6″-malonylation >3,5-diglucosylation >3-glucosylation. The vitamin C retention was in the order of 6″-malonylation > pyranylation >3,5-diglucosylation >3-glucosylation. The order of color stability was the same as that of anthocyanin retention, and the order of antioxidative activity was opposite to that of vitamin C retention. The results showed that modification at the C-ring limited the activity of anthocyanin, and suggested that the C-ring was one of the key sites for anthocyanin and vitamin C interaction. The shared differential metabolite of all apple juice matrices added with different anthocyanins was trans-hinokiresinol, which was likely generated from anthocyanin skeleton reacted with certain compounds in apple juice.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that modification of the anthocyanin C-ring could affect the anthocyanin and vitamin C interaction to some extent, which provided valuable insights for the application of anthocyanin C-ring modification in shelf-life quality control of typical fruit and vegetable beverages with the coexistence of anthocyanin and vitamin C. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effect of a 4-week free-sugar avoidance on periodontal parameters during periodontal therapy.
METHODS: Twenty-one patients with untreated periodontitis and daily free-sugar intake were allocated to a sugar avoidance group (SAG) and a control group (CG). The SAG received a 45-min dietary consultation and was instructed to avoid free sugars during the following 4 weeks after subgingival instrumentation, while the CG continued with their regular diet. Bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque control record, body weight (BW), visceral fat (FATv), and a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were collected at baseline (T1), 4 weeks (T2), and 8 weeks (T3) after subgingival instrumentation.
RESULTS: The main outcome parameter BOP was significantly reduced at T2 by 40.3% ± 15.54 in the SAG and 34% ± 12.47 in the CG (intra-p value both <0.001, inter-p value 0.361). A linear regression analysis of changes at patient level adjusted for age and FATv revealed a significant group difference for BOP (regression coefficient = -6.8; p = 0.019). Significant reductions were observed in BW, FATv and mean daily intake of free sugars (-14.4 g/day), and a significant increase of vitamin C derived from fruits (75.89 mg/day) at T2 in the SAG only.
CONCLUSIONS: This study may indicate additional beneficial effects of a sugar avoidance on periodontal and metabolic parameters, and nutritional intake during periodontal therapy. German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00026699).
CONCLUSIONS: The current widespread free-sugar consumption is linked to an increasing incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases. Data indicate a relationship between sugar intake and a higher prevalence of periodontitis and increased gingival inflammation. This study showed that free-sugar avoidance after periodontal therapy had additional beneficial effects on periodontal and metabolic parameters in 10 test and 11 control patients. After 4 weeks of avoiding free sugars like sweets, processed white flour, juice, and so forth, periodontal bleeding was significantly reduced in both groups (-40.3% test group, -34% control group). Further regression analysis revealed a significant difference between groups favoring the intervention. Additionally, body weight and visceral fat were significantly reduced in the intervention group, only. To avoid sugar, patients were allowed to replace it with whole fruit, which led to increased levels of micronutrients such as vitamin C. Therefore, free-sugar avoidance may be of therapeutic benefit in addition to periodontal therapy. Further research is needed to investigate this effect in larger cohorts.

BACKGROUND: The tropical plant acerola of the genus Malpighia includes shrubs and trees with fruit that is high in nutrients and bioactive chemicals. Acerola stands out due to its exceptionally high ascorbic acid content, ranging from 1500 to 4500 mg/100 g. Vitamin C intake greatly influences gingival health. The addition of nanoparticles along with vitamin C-rich acerola exhibits high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thereby positively improving gingival health.
METHODS: The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of aqueous extracts of the acerola plant (Malpighia emarginata) were assessed. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) were synthesized using the aqueous extract of acerola cherry gel by the phytogenic fabrication method. The antioxidant potential of silver and copper nanoparticles was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydrogen peroxide, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2\'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and nitric oxide scavenging activities.
RESULTS: Increasing concentrations of nanoparticles showed an increase in scavenging activity. Overall, CuONPs and AgNPs exhibited remarkable radical quenching efficacies. The anti-inflammatory effectiveness of CuONPs and AgNPs was monitored, showing suppression of protein denaturation as demonstrated by bovine serum albumin (BSA), egg albumin (EA), and membrane stabilization assays. The results revealed that increasing the doses of CuONPs and AgNPs had a positive impact on the anti-inflammatory activity of the nanoparticles.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that both nanoparticles provided better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This study also elaborates on the pharmacological potential of both nanoparticles, which could be further explored for application in all healthcare sectors.

BACKGROUND: The changes in the physical structures of the products are the first things that consumers pay attention to. Therefore, it is essential and significant importance to take measures to improve the storage conditions of products and to minimize quality losses. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of agro-ecological conditions on bioactive compounds and fruit quality of kiwifruit during cold storage. The \'Hayward\' kiwifruit cultivar grown in Ordu, Giresun, Samsun, Rize, and Yalova provinces of Türkiye were kept at 0 ± 0.5 °C and relative humidity of 90 ± 5% for 150 d.
RESULTS: The kiwifruit obtained from the provinces of Yalova, Ordu, and Giresun experienced the least weight loss during cold storage. Kiwifruit from Samsun and Yalova provinces had the lowest fruit firmness, while those from Giresun had the highest on 150th d. The changes were observed in the skin and flesh colors of the kiwifruit belonging to all cultivation areas. The amount of vitamin C increased throughout the study in all ecological conditions, but the Yalova province\'s kiwifruit was found to have the highest levels. Additionally, in all ecologies, kiwifruit showed an increase in antioxidant activity, total phenolics, and total flavonoids, all known to have beneficial effects on human health. The total antioxidant activity and total phenolics were highest in the kiwifruit of Yalova province, but the total flavonoids were found in the kiwifruit of Rize and Ordu provinces.
CONCLUSIONS: The study\'s results revealed that kiwifruit\'s bioactive compounds and quality parameters may vary depending on the cultivation area. Additionally, it can be stated that Yalova province kiwifruit experiences the least amount of postharvest quality losses.