A single high dose of ascorbic acid and iron is not correlated with oxidative stress in healthy volunteers.

Fe (II) is a potential prooxidant in vivo and can induce cellular oxidative stress. Ascorbic acid (AA) is a powerful physiological antioxidant and, in the presence of free Fe (II), can exhibit prooxidant effects in vitro. However, in vivo prooxidant effects of Fe (II) and AA have not yet been indisputably demonstrated.

Plasmatic vitamin C in nontreated hepatitis C patients is negatively associated with aspartate aminotransferase.

Objectives: To evaluate the possible relationship between aminotransferases levels and markers of oxidative stress in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Design And Methods: Patients without treatment for hepatitis were divided in to group I (15-39 U/L); group II (41-76 U/L) and group III (81-311 U/L) of activity alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Blood markers of oxidative stress [catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS), nonprotein and protein thiol (NP-SH and P-SH) groups and vitamin C] were determined.