Chinese researchers find high dose Vitamin C effective in mouse liver cancer
Original study authors:
Clifford L.K.Pang1, 2, LU Daxiang1, QI Renbin1, ZHANG Tao2, WANG Zhen2, SUN Yong2
1 Department of Pathophysiology, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China; 2 Guangdong Clifford Hospital, Guangzhou, 511495, China
Abstract:
Objective: To study the effect of high dose Vitamin C, administered intravenously, on treating implanted hepatoma in rats.
Methods: Rats implanted with hepatoma were treated with high-dose Vitamin C 2.83g/kg or 5.65g/kg intravenously and compared to a “model” (control) group. The liver function (A/G, ALT, AST, and GGT), tumor volume and weight, and cancer necrotic grades were determined.
Results: The A/G of rats with 2.83g/kg Vitamin C treatment was greater than that of the model rats (P<0.05), ALT was less than that of model rats (P<0.01), GGT was less than that of model rats (P<0.05). The ALT of rats with 5.65g/kg Vitamin C treatment was less than that of model rats (P<0.05). The cancer necrosis rate of rats with 2.83g/kg Vitamin C treatment was more than that of model rats (P<0.05). Previously reported data indicates that 2.83g Vitamin C /kg body weight delivered intravenously to rats is equivalent to a dose of 30g intravenous Vitamin C /60kg human.
Conclusion: These results demonstrate that the intravenous administration of Vitamin C at levels of 2.83g/kg Vitamin C can accelerate hepatoma Walker256 cell death and protect the liver function in implanted hepatoma rats.
Peng LJ, Lu DX, Qi RB, Zhang T, Wang Z, Sun Y. [Therapeutic effect of intravenous high-dose vitamin C on implanted hepatoma in rats.] Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009 Feb;29(2):264-6. Chinese. PMID: 19246295
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An English summary of the full Chinese paper is published in the ACNEM Journal.
"Our research uses Walker256 cancer cells implanted in rats’ livers in order to study the therapeutic effect of large-doses of Vitamin C on liver cancer: the overall effect on the animals, the mechanism of action, and to provide a theoretical basis and experimental evidence for clinical application. "
"Cell strain Walker256 is a spontaneous breast cancer in rats. Its growth is both expansive and invasive. Walker256 cell strain is widely used in experiments domestically and overseas because of its similar blood supply and growth to human hepatoma."
"GGT is a critical enzyme in the γ-glutamyl cycle, catalyzing the degradation of GSH and its binding products. Hepatoma cells can produce a lot of GGT and release it to the blood; hence GGT levels are seen as a sensitive enzyme marker reflecting the malignant change of liver cells."
"Aside from the early work of Cameron, Campbell and Pauling and a few others much of the published literature on Vitamin C and cancer reflects poorly controlled experiments and/or inadequate and inappropriately applied doses. To date there are only very limited in vitro studies on the effectiveness of Vitamin C treating hepatoma. The purpose of the research discussed in this paper is to clarify the effectiveness, in vivo, of high dose intravenous Vitamin C against an established hepatoma; by this means to provide experimental evidence for clinical medication.
It is clear in this study that the hepatoprotective effects of Vitamin C were greater in the VC 2.83g/kg group than in the VC 5.65g/kg group. 5.65g/kg in rats represents approximately a 60 gram intravenous dose for a 60kg human. Two rats in the 5.65g/kg group died for unknown reasons."
"Vitamin C treatment was effective at increasing tumour necrosis and improving liver enzyme measures in these rats. The best overall tumour response to Vitamin C treatment was observed in rats in the VC 2.83g/kg group. This is equivalent to approximately 30 grams in a 60kg human, which is a clinically relevant dosage."
