ESR investigations on blood treated intravenously with ascorbic acid

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a vital antioxidant.
• Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy detects free radicals.
• Previous research linked a specific ESR signal to the semidehydroascorbate radical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of intravenous ascorbic acid on blood constituents using ESR spectroscopy.
• To characterize the ESR spectral changes following vitamin C administration in healthy volunteers.

Main Methods:

• Intravenous administration of 1g ascorbic acid to healthy male and female volunteers.
• Analysis of blood samples using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy.
• Differential hematologic examinations of peripheral blood.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in blood spin concentration was observed 2 minutes post-injection.
• A new ESR signal at g ≈ 2.005, correlating with the semidehydroascorbate radical, appeared.
• This ESR spectrum resembled that found in acute lymphatic leukemia but normalized in healthy individuals within 24 hours.
• No significant changes were noted in erythrocytes, plasma, or peripheral blood cell counts (granulocytes, lymphocytes, thrombocytes).

Conclusions:

• Intravenous ascorbic acid induces transient ESR changes in blood, primarily originating from leukocytes.
• The observed ESR signal mimics that seen in leukemia, highlighting the radical-generating potential of vitamin C in vivo.
• These findings suggest leukocytes are the source of the ESR signal changes post-ascorbic acid administration.