Acta Pharm. 49 (1999) 281-289
Rats were exposed to passive cigarette smoking with a view to study its influence on ascorbic acid 2-sulphate metabolism. Different parameters like tissue concentration of ascorbic acid 2-sulphate, ascorbic acid, the urinary excretion of ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid 2-sulphate and the activity of the enzymes like ascorbic acid sulphotransferase, ascorbic acid 2-sulphate sulphohydrolase, L-gulono-gama-lactone oxidase, etc. were estimated. The effect of nicotine administration on the above parameters was also observed. All the above parameters except the activity of the enzyme L-gulono-gama-lactone oxidase showed a decrease in the passive smoke exposed and nicotine administered rats compared to the normal ones. The effect was less in nicotine fed rats than in smoke exposed ones. Ascorbic acid 2-sulphate is postulated to play a role in detoxifying different toxic chemicals entering the body. There is an increased demand for vitamin C in experimental animals exposed to passive smoking and administered nicotine. Even though rats had an ability to synthesise ascorbic acid, they were not able to meet the increased requirement of ascorbic acid by the enhanced synthesis of ascorbic acid or by the hydrolysis of ascorbic acid 2-sulphate.
Keywords: passive cigarette smoking, nicotine, ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid 2-sulphate, ascorbic acid sulphotransferase, ascorbic acid 2-sulphate sulphohydrolase, L-gulono-gama-lactone oxidase