ASCORBIC ACID

Have it come to your mind, what if vegetables and fruits were not available which is the
main source of Vitamin C? Many years ago, people have experienced such a lack first-hand:
swollen and bleeding gums, loose teeth, hemorrhaging under the skin, and slowed healing of
wounds. What we now know as vitamin C was in short supply wherein there’s no enough source
of vegetables and fruits, and as a result human bodies reacted by developing the condition known
as scurvy. Death could, and often did, quickly follow, thousands of miles away from otherwise
life-sustaining provisions. Humankind years ago suffered from a lack of knowledge of what
basic nutrition is. We all know that malnutrition was main reason why people are having scurvy.
It is really a solution to the scarcity of vitamin C when on 1930’s Albert Szent-Györgyi
discovered the chemical ascorbic acid—also known as vitamin C—that enables the body to
efficiently use carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Szent-Györgyi discovery was among the
foundations of modern nutrition that we are enjoying nowadays.

Vitamins are compounds that a one person must have for growth and health. Vitamins are
needed in small amounts only and are always available in the foods that we eat. Ascorbic acid,
also known as vitamin C, is usually needed for wound healing. It is necessary for many functions
in our body, it includes helping our body use carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin C also
strengthens our blood vessel walls in the body. Vitamin C which is also known as ascorbic acid
and ascorbate is a water-soluble vitamin that can be found in citrus and other vegetables and
fruits, also recommended as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient that can
treat melasma which is the dark pigment spots and wrinkles on our face. It is used to prevent and
treat scurvy. Vitamin C is a vital nutrient that involved in repairing the tissue, formation of
collagen, and enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters. It is necessary for the
functioning of some enzymes and is very important for immune system’s function. It also
functions as an antioxidant in the human body. When it comes to animals, they are able to
synthesize their own vitamin C. However, apes and some monkeys, most of the bats, and certain
other animals must gain it from different dietary sources. Vitamin C is an essential needs of our
bodies because it carry out several critical functions, and lack of it might cause different kinds of
illnesses. Why do you think that vitamin C is necessary for wound healing? It’s because this is
responsible for the hydroxylation of Proline and Lysine in collagen fibers that can be found in
connective tissue, fibrous tissue, bones, and teeth. Ascorbic acid boost iron absorption through
retaining iron in the ferrous state. Scurvy caused by lack of vitamin C, causes bruising, swollen
gums, and inadequate dentine formation. It helps in the treatment of some viral and bacterial
illnesses, for example is pneumonia and the common cold. Vitamin C functions as an antioxidant
and a cleansing agent in our bodies. It can also use in treating skin issues like pimples, acne, and
gum infection, on some people. Vitamin C was also used in curing gastric and peptic ulcers that
caused by Helicobacter pylorus (bacteria that infects the whole gastrointestinal tract). A
gallbladder disease, which includes the gallstones, can be avoided by having regular vitamin C
intake, more physical exercise, and healthy diet.

Vitamin C is a kind of water-soluble vitamin, with dietary excesses not absorbed, and
excesses in the blood rapidly excreted in the urine, so it exhibits remarkably low acute toxicity.
Intake of vitamin C that can be more than two to three grams may cause you indigestion,
particularly when taken on with an empty stomach. On the other hand, taking vitamin C in the
form of sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate will minimize this effect. Other symptoms that
are reported because of large doses includes nausea, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. These
different effects are regards to the osmotic effect of unabsorbed vitamin C passing through the
intestine. In theory, high or too much intake of vitamin C may cause excessive absorption of
iron. On some theories and belief among the medical community, vitamin C increases the risk of
kidney stones. Reports of kidney stone formation was connected with excess intake of ascorbic
acid. Taking of ascorbic acid are limited to individuals with renal disease. Reviews state that
data from epidemiological studies do not support an association between excess ascorbic acid
intake and kidney stone formation in apparently healthy individuals, although one large, multi-
year trial did report a nearly two-fold increase in kidney stones in men who regularly consumed a
vitamin C supplement.

Physical and chemical properties determine the chemical structure of ascorbic acid.
Ascorbic acid or the vitamin C is commonly found in the structure of of white or slightly
yellowish crystalline powder. The crystalline form of ascorbic acid is chemically stable in
dryness. On the other hand, L-ascorbic acid is highly soluble in water, it has a difficulty of
solubility in alcohol, chloroform, ether and benzene. It forms clear colorless slightly yellow
solution which is rapidly oxidized when it is on water. Ascorbic acid can be derive as a sodium l-
ascorbate, calcium l-ascorbate, zinc-ascorbate, 6-palmityl-l-ascorbic acid, and ascorbyl
monophosphate calcium sodium salt. From sodium ascorbate by cation exchange, ascorbic acid
was obtained. While sodium ascorbate results from reacting methyl-d-sorbosonate with sodium
carbonate. Calcium ascorbate was produced by the interaction between ascorbic acid and
calcium carbonate in water and ethanol, which became isolated and dried after. Ascorbyl
palmitate was prepared through the between reaction of ascorbic acid and sulfuric acid and the
followed by esterification with palmitic acid. Sodium calcium ascorbyl phosphate resulted from
the reaction of ascorbic acid with calcium hydroxide and sodium trimetaphosphate. The
derivatives of previous ascorbic acid have superior properties when compared to ascorbic acid as
the light resistance, skin irritation.

Even vitamin C is the generic name of l-ascorbic acid, it is being called in many different
chemical names such as ascorbate and antiscorbutic vitamin. l-Ascorbic acid molecule is formed
of asymmetrical six-carbon atoms (C6H8O6) which is structurally related to glucose (Figure 1).
Its molecular weight is 176 with a melting point of 190–192°C (with decomposition) and shows
a density of approximately 1.65 g/cm3. l-Ascorbic acid is freely soluble in water (300 g/L at
20°C), difficult in alcohol (20 g/L at 20°C) and insoluble in chloroform, ether and benzene. It
forms a clear colorless to slightly yellow solution. It has two pKa values: 4.2 and 11.6. The pH of
a 5% (w/v) solution in water is 2.2–2.5.

Figure 1.
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