Antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity of Vitamin C in oral environment

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#antioxidants #ascorbic-acid #humans #mouth #reactive-oxygen-species

Antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity of Vitamin C in oral environment

Chakraborthy et al., 2014 | Indian J Dent Res | Systematic Review

Citation

Chakraborthy Aratirika, Ramani Pratibha, ... Natesan Anuja. Antioxidant and pro-oxidant activity of Vitamin C in oral environment. Indian J Dent Res. 2014;25(4):499-504. doi:10.4103/0970-9290.142547

Abstract

CONTEXT: Antioxidant properties and Vitamin C. BACKGROUND: Vitamin C is a naturally occurring organic compound and a potent antioxidant preventing oxidative damage to lipids and other macromolecules. It can also exhibit bimodal activity as a pro-oxidant at a higher concentration. Vitamin C has a switch over role from being an antioxidant in physiologic conditions to a pro-oxidant under pathologic conditions. A systematic review of this role would help to elucidate whether it is an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant in the oral environment. OBJECTIVE: To review studies reported in the literature elucidating the activity of Vitamin C and determine whether it is an antioxidant or a pro-oxidant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Articles were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE using appropriate key words like "Vitamin C," "antioxidant activity," "pro-oxidant activity," "oral health" "oral disease." Hand search of journals was also performed. Articles were reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: Search strategy reviewed 10 relevant articles which studied the dual role of Vitamin C. 65% of authors analyzed antioxidant action of ascorbic acid compared to 35% of the pro-oxidant potential. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant by a plethora of mechanisms. Factors determining its bimodal activity were studied, and the frequencies of their occurrence in the literature were depicted in percentage. CONCLUSION: The data validates the role of Vitamin C as an antioxidant under physiologic conditions exhibiting a cross over role as a pro-oxidant in pathological conditions. Further studies are required to substantiate its pro-oxidant activity to draw concrete conclusions.

Key Findings

Search strategy reviewed 10 relevant articles which studied the dual role of Vitamin C. 65% of authors analyzed antioxidant action of ascorbic acid compared to 35% of the pro-oxidant potential. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant by a plethora of mechanisms. Factors determining its bimodal activity were studied, and the frequencies of their occurrence in the literature were depicted in percentage.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Antioxidants
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Humans
  • Mouth
  • Reactive Oxygen Species

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Systematic Review
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: vitamin-c

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09