Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0036474 (scurvy)
 685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Eight male Cynomolgus monkeys were fed an ascorbic acid-free total liquid diet until plasma levels decreased from a mean of 1.1 mg/dl to 0.04 mg/dl at 8 weeks. They showed no visible signs of scurvy. The animals were then given a daily oral dose of 10 mg ascorbic acid/kg body weight for 4 weeks, when the experiment was ended. Four of the animals were given, in addition, 200 mg erythorbic acid/kg body weight orally each day. In all animals repletion was accomplished in two to three weeks using return to initial plasma ascorbic acid levels as the criterion. During deficiency, blood cellular elements were found to be more resistant to depletion than plasma. For erythrocytes, this may be explained at least partially by the observation that in vitro uptake of ascorbic acid tended to be related inversely to blood ascorbic acid levels. However, no such relationship was seen in leucocytes or platelets. Other measurements made on blood did not vary in response to changing ascorbic acid levels. These include serum cholesterol; erythrocyte, leucocyte, or platelet counts; leucocyte differential; hemoglobin concentration; and hematocrit. Urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratios were also unchanged. Erythorbic acid, a stereoisomer of ascorbic acid and a common food additive, has been cited as a possible interferent in the determination of whole blood or plasma ascorbic acid, since in the guinea pig it is absorbed from the gut and no commonly used ascorbic acid analysis can distinguish between the isomers. Under conditions of the present experiment, however, no elevation of apparent whole blood or plasma ascorbic acid was produced by inclusion of high levels of erythorbic acid in the diet. Animals given erythorbic acid in addition to ascorbic acid during repletion did not differ from those given ascorbic acid alone in any aspect mentioned above.
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PMID:Effects of ascorbic acid deficiency and of erythorbic acid on blood components in the Cynomolgus monkey. 10 7

Ascorbate metabolism was analyzed in fasted common carp and carp offered diets lacking ascorbic acid or supplemented with ascorbic acid (AA) or ascorbic sulfate (AS). Ascorbic acid and ascorbic sulfate were analyzed in the contents collected from various parts of the digestive tract. The major site of the dietary ascorbate absorption was located in the first 20% of the anterior intestine region (58.7 +/- 10.2%), whereas absorption increased to 94.3 +/- 1.9% (in the whole gut). Considerable secretion of ascorbate into the initial part of the intestine was found (71 micrograms AA.g-1 dry food) in fish offered the diet lacking ascorbate, but this amount was completely reabsorbed in the following portions of the intestine. AS was concentrated in the contents of the digestive tract and the external marker method revealed no absorption of AS from the intestine. In fish fed the AA-supplemented diet, the concentration of ascorbate in plasma, hepatopancreas, kidney, intestine, spleen, and brain was significantly (P less than 0.01) higher than in similar tissues from the other groups, suggesting that ascorbic sulfate hydrolysis was ineffective. Small amounts of AS were found in the intestine and spleen of fish fed a diet supplemented with AS. Ascorbate analysis in the whole fish allowed the estimate of the catabolic rate of fasting and scorbutic-diet-fed fish, which amounted to 0.7% and 1.46% daily of the ascorbate body pool, respectively. There was no indication that ascorbic sulfate sulfohydrolase activity was induced in hepatic, kidney, or intestinal tissue of fish offered a diet with AS in comparison to other groups. It seems unlikely that cyprinid fish are able to utilize ascorbic sulfate as a vitamin C source, and thus resemble scurvy-prone mammals in this respect.
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PMID:Absorption of ascorbic acid and ascorbic sulfate and ascorbate metabolism in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). 209 1

The effect of vitamin C deficiency on the digestive and absorptive functions of the gut has been investigated in guinea pigs. The absorption of D-glucose was significantly elevated, but that of L-leucine, L-alanine and L-lysine considerably depressed in the intestine of scorbutic guinea pigs compared to controls. The intestinal transport of vitamin B12 was also diminished. Activities of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase on the brush border were enhanced, but that of leucine aminopeptidase markedly reduced in scorbutic animals compared to controls. Maltase activity was unaffected in vitamin C deficient animals. Chemical analysis of the brush borders isolated from scorbutic animals revealed a considerable decrease in membrane protein, total lipids, phospholipids, and free cholesterol contents compared to control animals. In vivo 2-(14)C-acetate incorporation into membrane lipids suggested that the observed decrease in lipid components of the scorbutic membranes is due to reduced synthesis. Administration of ascorbic acid to scorbutic animals ameliorated the intestinal aberrations observed in scurvy.
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PMID:Effect of vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs on intestinal functions and chemical composition of brush border membrane. 730 86

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by sustained vasoconstriction, vascular remodeling, inflammation, and in situ thrombosis. Although there have been important advances in the knowledge of the pathophysiology of PAH, it remains a debilitating, limiting, and rapidly progressive disease. Vitamin D and iron deficiency are worldwide health problems of pandemic proportions. Notably, these nutritional alterations are largely more prevalent in PAH patients than in the general population and there are several pieces of evidence suggesting that they may trigger or aggravate disease progression. There are also several case reports associating scurvy, due to severe vitamin C deficiency, with PAH. Flavonoids such as quercetin, isoflavonoids such as genistein, and other dietary polyphenols including resveratrol slow the progression of the disease in animal models of PAH. Finally, the role of the gut microbiota and its interplay with the diet, host immune system, and energy metabolism is emerging in multiple cardiovascular diseases. The alteration of the gut microbiota has also been reported in animal models of PAH. It is thus possible that in the near future interventions targeting the nutritional status and the gut dysbiosis will improve the outcome of these patients.
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PMID:Impact of Nutrition on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. 3193 13

Vitamins are essential organic compounds that catalyze metabolic reactions. They also function as electron donors, antioxidants or transcription effectors. They can be extracted from food and supplements, or in some cases, synthesized by our body or gut microbiome. Severe vitamin deficiencies result in systemic complications, including the development of scurvy, rickets, pellagra, and beriberi. Some moderate and severe deficiencies also result in oral conditions. A lower intake of vitamin A has been associated with decreased oral epithelial development, impaired tooth formation, enamel hypoplasia and periodontitis. Vitamin D deficiency during tooth development may result in non-syndromic amelogenesis and dentinogenesis imperfecta, enamel and dentin hypoplasia, and dysplasia. Clinical studies have demonstrated an association between vitamin D's endocrine effects and periodontitis. On the other hand, no significant association has been found between cariogenic activity and vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin C deficiency results in changes in the gingivae and bone, as well as xerostomia; while vitamin B deficiencies are associated with recurrent aphthous stomatitis, enamel hypomineralization, cheilosis, cheilitis, halitosis, gingivitis, glossitis, atrophy of the lingual papillae, stomatitis, rashes around the nose, dysphagia, and pallor. The effects of vitamins E and K on oral health are not as clear as those of other vitamins. However, vitamin K has a systemic effect (increasing the risk of haemorrhage), which may affect individuals undergoing oral surgery or suffering an oral injury. Health care professionals need to be aware of the effects of vitamins on oral health to provide the best available care for their patients.
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PMID:Chapter 6: Vitamins and Oral Health. 3194 Jun 21