Chemistry &Biosynthesis of Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

Chemistry of Vitamin C

The Biochemistry Online – Free Online Lectures for Medical, Dental and Allied Health Sciences students by the Biochemistry Club.

• Vitamin C is water soluble and is easily destroyed by heat, alkali and storage.
• In the process of cooking, 70% of Vitamin C is lost.
• The structural formula of ascorbic acid closely resembles that of carbohydrates.
• The strong reducing property of Vitamin C depends on the double bonded (enediol) carbons.
• Only L-Ascorbic acid and Dehydroascorbic acid have antiscorbutic activity.
• D-Ascorbic acid has no activity.

Biosynthesis of Ascorbic Acid

• In most animals & plants Ascorbic acid is synthesized from glucose.
• Man, higher primates, guinea pigs and bats are the only species which CANNOT synthesize ascorbic acid.
• This is due to block in Gulono-lactone oxidase step.
• They lack the genes responsible for
  the synthesis of this enzyme.
• The vitamin, therefore, should be supplied in the diet of these species.
• Our diet contains fruits and vegetables, which is rich in ascorbic
  acid. So, the gene deletion will have no deleterious.

All these lectures are organized and listed in detail in their proper sections. To view these lessons please visit the Vitamins Section in Biochemistry I. This can be approached by directly clicking the Biochemistry I button or it can also be approached from the drop down menu in Biochemistry I tab. Once you reach the section click the curriculum tab to view the full list in the section.

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