Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), which
was originally gained by isolation from fruits and plants, is produced
today by an industrial process. The basis for the industrial Ascorbic Acid
synthesis is D-Glucose (grape sugar), one of the most common organic compounds
in nature.
The specific
field of application in medicine for this vitamin was originally the treatment
of the deficiency-disease scurvy. Furthermore, the administration of Ascorbic
Acid produces a mobilization for the body's self-defense system, thus facilitating
the immune system to overcome pathological situations.
In the food industry,
Ascorbic Acid is mainly used as a preservative (for example, in fruit juices
and meat products). High dietary Ascorbic Acid intake appears to protect
against gastric cancer. This may be due to its action as a scavenger of
reactive radical species formed in the gastric mucosa, resulting in a reduced
level of radical-mediated DNA damage.
