Effect of erythorbic acid administration on ascorbic acid content in guinea pig tissues

The effect of erythorbic acid (ErA) on ascorbic acid (AsA) content in the tissues of normal and AsA-deficient guinea pigs was studied. The animals were sacrificed at varying intervals during the experimental period, and the liver, adrenal glands, spleen and kidneys were removed. The amounts of AsA and ErA in the tissues were measured by HPLC. The content of AsA in the tissues of the animals administered both AsA and ErA was lower than that of the animals administered only AsA. But the disappearance rate of AsA from the tissues of the AsA-deficient animals was similar to that of the animals administered only ErA. The amount of AsA in the tissues of the animals administered both AsA and ErA during the repletion period was lower than that of the animals administered only AsA. These results suggest that ErA administration may affect the amount of AsA in the tissues by inhibiting its tissue uptake or its storage in the tissues, and not by accerelating the catabolism of AsA in the tissues.