Vitamin C Increases Nitric Oxide Availability in Coronary Atherosclerosis
Authors: Dimitris Tousoulis, Graham Davies, Pavlos Toutouzas
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Letters20 July 1999Vitamin C Increases Nitric Oxide Availability in Coronary AtherosclerosisDimitris Tousoulis, MD, PhD, Graham Davies, MD, and Pavlos Toutouzas, MDDimitris Tousoulis, MD, PhDHammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Tousoulis)Hammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Davies)Athens University; Athens, Greece (Toutouzas), Graham Davies, MDHammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Tousoulis)Hammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Davies)Athens University; Athens, Greece (Toutouzas), and Pavlos Toutouzas, MDHammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Tousoulis)Hammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Davies)Athens University; Athens, Greece (Toutouzas)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-131-2-199907200-00022 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Vitamin C is the main water-soluble antioxidant in human plasma. Arginine, a semi-essential amino acid, serves as the substrate for the enzyme nitric oxide (NO) synthase, which converts arginine to citrulline and NO. A recent study showed that intracoronary administration of l-arginine dilates stenotic coronary segments in patients with stable angina (1). Whether administration of vitamin C can modify the NO activity in patients with atherosclerosis has not been investigated.Five patients (3 men, 2 women; mean age ± SD, 59 ± 9 years) with stable angina and coronary artery disease were studied. Therapy with antianginal medication ...References1. Tousoulis D, Davies G, Tentolouris C, Crake T, Toutouzas P. Coronary stenosis dilatation induced by L-arginine. Lancet. 1997;349:1812-3. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Mugge A, Elwell JH, Peterson TE, Harrison DG. Release of intact endothelium-dependent relaxing factor depends on endothelial superoxide dismutases activity. Am J Physiol. 1991;260:C219-25. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Ting HH, Timini TF, Boles KS, Creager SJ, Ganz P, Creager MA. Vitamin C improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in patients with non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Clin Invest. 1996;97:22-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Heitzer T, Just H, Munzel T. Antioxidant vitamin C improves endothelial dysfunction in chronic smokers. Circulation. 1996;94:6-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Hornig B, Arakawa N, Kohler C, Drexler H. Vitamin C improves endothelial function of conduit arteries in patients with chronic heart failure. Circulation. 1998;97:363-8. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Dimitris Tousoulis, MD, PhD; Graham Davies, MD; Pavlos Toutouzas, MDAffiliations: Hammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Tousoulis)Hammersmith Hospital; London, United Kingdom (Davies)Athens University; Athens, Greece (Toutouzas) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byThe influence of vitamin C on the interaction between acute mental stress and endothelial functionThe Paraoxonase 1 Arylesterase Activity, Total Oxidative Stress, Nitric Oxide and Vitamin C Levels in Maternal Serum, and Their Relation to Birth Weight of NewbornArthritis as a Disease of Aging and Changes in Antioxidant StatusImpact of platinum-based chemotherapy on the progression of atherosclerosisRedox modulation of the fetal cardiovascular defence to hypoxaemiaRegulatory role of vitamins E and C on extracellular matrix components of the vascular systemSynergistic salubrious effect of ferulic acid and ascorbic acid on membrane-bound phosphatases and lysosomal hydrolases during experimental myocardial infarction in ratsFerulic acid with ascorbic acid synergistically extenuates the mitochondrial dysfunction during β-adrenergic catecholamine induced cardiotoxicity in ratsSynergistic interactions of Ferulic acid with Ascorbic acid: Its cardioprotective role during isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in ratsAntioxidant Phytochemicals and Potential Synergistic Activities at Reducing Risk of Cardiovascular DiseaseVascular endothelium and inflammatory process, in patients with combined Type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary atherosclerosis: the effects of vitamin CVitamin C Affects Thrombosis/ Fibrinolysis System and Reactive Hyperemia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Coronary Artery DiseaseRole of endothelial dysfunction in insulin resistanceAscorbic Acid and Endothelial NO SynthesisEffect of vitamin C supplementation on reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde in patients with acute myocardial infarctionHyperglycemia-induced ascorbic acid deficiency promotes endothelial dysfunction and the development of atherosclerosisHow does ascorbic acid prevent endothelial dysfunction?TOBACCO-RELATED DISEASES 20 July 1999Volume 131, Issue 2Page: 156-157KeywordsAnginaAnionsArginineAtherosclerosisNitric oxideQuantitative analysisSaline solutionsStable coronary artery diseaseVasodilationVitamin C ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 20 July 1999 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. 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