316 ASCORBIC ACID 



the oxidation of carbohydrates in scurvy.-^^ In the over-all metabolism as 

 shown by the basal metabolic rate and respiratory quotient, no difference 

 in energy output has been found between normal and deficient animals.-^' 

 Sylvest-^^ reported finding no definite evidence of a relation l^etween the 

 ascorbic acid of the serum and the sugar tolerance curve. Frommel et al}^^ 

 observed hyperglycemia during the first 5 days on the scorluitigenic diet 

 followed by a hypoglycemic period which was progressive up to the death 

 of the animal. Nair^^^ reported the fasting blood sugar level to be the same 

 in normal and scorbutic animals but glucose tolerance was lower in the 

 scorbutic group. Sigal and King'*^^ found, however, that successive stages 

 of ascorbic acid deficiency resulted in a corresponding rise in the fasting 

 blood sugar level and a definitely lower glucose tolerance. Murray and 

 Morgan-^^ also obtained significantly higher blood levels in glucose tolerance 

 tests with scorbutic as compared to normal animals, both groups of which 

 had been fasted 24 hours and then were given orally 5 ml. of a solution 

 containing 2.5% glucose. Grolitsch and Stoger-^* observed that the hyper- 

 glycemia which tended to occur after physical exertion in human subjects 

 deficient in vitamin C was decreased or did not occur after administration 

 of the vitamin. 



Although the exact role of insulin in carbohydrate metabolism has not 

 been determined, there is, nevertheless, some reason for believing that it 

 has some effect on the over-all metabolism. Banerjee-^^ studied the effect 

 of ascorbic acid on the insulin content of the pancreas. Extracts made from 

 the glands of normal and scorbutic animals were injected into rabbits, and 

 changes in the Ijlood sugar determined. The results indicated that the insulin 

 content of the pancreas of the scorbutic animals was reduced to about one- 

 eighth the normal value. He suggested thac the change in carbohydrate 

 metabolism in scurvy is due to a diminished insulin content of the pan- 

 creas. He found, however, that administration of ascorbic acid above an 

 optimum level did not increase the amount of insulin in the pancreas. 



(3) Storage. Without exception, investigators who have studied the re- 

 lation of ascorbic acid to glycogen storage in the liver have found it to 

 exert a stimulating effect. Altenburger'^" and Yoshinare"^ were among the 



'"* L. Armeni auo, A. Bensath, A. Hamori, and A. Koranyi, Z. ges. cxptl. med. 96, 321 



(1935). 

 ••«" O. Sylvest, Acta Med. Scand. 110, 183 (1942). 



^«^ E. Frommel, E. Aron, and J. Aron, Arch. sci. phys. d nut. 26, Suppls. 58-62 (1944). 

 266 K. R. Nair, Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med. 1, 179 (1941). 

 26V A. Sigal and C. G. King, J. Biol. Chem. 116, 489 (1936). 



268 K. Grolitsch and R. Stoger, Klin. Wochschr. 20, 1166 (1941). 



269 S. Banerjee, Ann. Biochem. Exptl. Med. 4, 33 (1944). 

 2'« E. Altenburger, Klin. Wochschr. 15, 1129 (19.36). 



2" T. Yoshinare, Japan. J. Med. Sci. IV, Pharmacol. 10, Absts. 48 (1936). 



