Abstract
Abstract
Rats receiving a 20% ethanol drink for 24 days or 1 year were found to have an increased concentration of ascorbic acid in the urine, liver, kidney, spleen, and adrenals as compared to those receiving no ethanol or isocaloric intake of sucrose solution. This increase was not due to feed intake. In vitro, the enzymatic synthesis of the vitamin from glucuronolactone or gulonolactone by liver preparations of ethanol-treated rats was significantly higher than that of control and sucrose-fed animals. These results indicate that ethanol stimulates the capacity to synthesize ascorbate which, in turn, causes an increase of ascorbic acid contents in the urine and soft tissues.
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