Efficacy of vitamin C in counteracting tetanus toxin toxicity.
TL;DR: Da sich Glucagonund Insul in-Effekt ferner nicht quan t i t a t iv addieren, sondern aueh allein einen rnaximalen Glukoseabst rom verursachen, liegt die Deutung.
Abstract: der Wirkung beider Hormone lieBen sich stat is t isch nicht sichern (Tabelle). Die mitgeteil ten Befunde erbringen den Beweis, dab Glucagon eine erh6hte periphere Glukoseverwertung durch Aktivierung des t r an smembranen Transpor tprozesses fi]r Glukose ~hnlich dem fiir Insul in bekann ten Effekt bewirkt ; dabei scheint die Glucagonwirkung im Vergleich zur Insul inwirkung mit ether ki~rzeren Zei tkonstante aufzutreten. Da sich Glucagonund Insul in-Effekt ferner nicht quan t i t a t iv addieren, sondern aueh allein einen rnaximalen Glukoseabst rom verursachen, liegt die Deutung hahn, da~3 beide Hormone in ihrem Angriff am Glukose t ranspor t einer konkurr ierenden H e m m u n g unterliegen. Demnach ist es nicht mehr ver t re tbar , das Glucagon als hyperglyk~imisierendes oder gar sis diabetogenes H o r m o n zu klassifizieren.
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TL;DR: The negative findings of some therapeutic common cold studies might be explained by the low doses of 3–4 g/day of vitamin C, so the effects of vitaminC against infections should be investigated further.
Abstract: In the early literature, vitamin C deficiency was associated with pneumonia. After its identification, a number of studies investigated the effects of vitamin C on diverse infections. A total of 148 animal studies indicated that vitamin C may alleviate or prevent infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The most extensively studied human infection is the common cold. Vitamin C administration does not decrease the average incidence of colds in the general population, yet it halved the number of colds in physically active people. Regularly administered vitamin C has shortened the duration of colds, indicating a biological effect. However, the role of vitamin C in common cold treatment is unclear. Two controlled trials found a statistically significant dose–response, for the duration of common cold symptoms, with up to 6–8 g/day of vitamin C. Thus, the negative findings of some therapeutic common cold studies might be explained by the low doses of 3–4 g/day of vitamin C. Three controlled trials found that vitamin C prevented pneumonia. Two controlled trials found a treatment benefit of vitamin C for pneumonia patients. One controlled trial reported treatment benefits for tetanus patients. The effects of vitamin C against infections should be investigated further.
317 citations
Cites methods from "Efficacy of vitamin C in counteract..."
...As one example of the studies in Tables 2 and 3, Dey (1966) reported that five rats administered twice the minimal lethal dose of tetanus toxin all died, whereas 25 rats administered vitamin C either before or after the same dose of toxin all lived [58]....
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TL;DR: Evaluating whether vitamin C has an effect on the practical outcomes: length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and duration of mechanical ventilation found that even an 8% reduction in ICU stay is worth exploring.
Abstract: A number of controlled trials have previously found that in some contexts, vitamin C can have beneficial effects on blood pressure, infections, bronchoconstriction, atrial fibrillation, and acute kidney injury. However, the practical significance of these effects is not clear. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate whether vitamin C has an effect on the practical outcomes: length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) and duration of mechanical ventilation. We identified 18 relevant controlled trials with a total of 2004 patients, 13 of which investigated patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. We carried out the meta-analysis using the inverse variance, fixed effect options, using the ratio of means scale. In 12 trials with 1766 patients, vitamin C reduced the length of ICU stay on average by 7.8% (95% CI: 4.2% to 11.2%; p = 0.00003). In six trials, orally administered vitamin C in doses of 1–3 g/day (weighted mean 2.0 g/day) reduced the length of ICU stay by 8.6% (p = 0.003). In three trials in which patients needed mechanical ventilation for over 24 hours, vitamin C shortened the duration of mechanical ventilation by 18.2% (95% CI 7.7% to 27%; p = 0.001). Given the insignificant cost of vitamin C, even an 8% reduction in ICU stay is worth exploring. The effects of vitamin C on ICU patients should be investigated in more detail.
190 citations
Cites background from "Efficacy of vitamin C in counteract..."
...Furthermore, the concept that vitamin C may influence tetanus is supported by animal studies in which vitamin C has protected against tetanus toxin and other clostridial toxins [244,245]....
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TL;DR: A single, non-randomised, poorly reported trial of vitamin C as a treatment for tetanus suggests a considerable reduction in mortality, however, concerns about trial quality mean that this result must be interpreted with caution and vitamin C cannot be recommended as a Treatment for Tetanus on the basis of this evidence.
Abstract: Background Tetanus is a severe disease that can be prevented by vaccination. In developing countries vaccination coverage is not always high. Cases still occur also in developed countries, particularly in elderly people owing to their reduced immuno protection. There are about 1 million tetanus cases per year globally. In animal studies, vitamin C has protected against various infections and bacterial toxins. In a study with rats, vitamin C protected against the purified tetanus toxin. Objectives To assess the prophylactic and therapeutic effect of vitamin C on tetanus. Search methods In May 2013 we searched the Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register; The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library); Ovid MEDLINE; Ovid MEDLINE (In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations ); and Ovid EMBASE for this third update. Selection criteria Controlled trials of vitamin C as a prevention or treatment for tetanus, whether or not these were placebo controlled, in any language, published or unpublished. Two review authors independently made inclusion decisions. Data collection and analysis Both review authors independently extracted data from trial reports and assessed methodological quality. Since one of the cells in a 2 × 2 table had no events, we calculated the odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) for case fatality rate by using the Peto-method. Another of the 2 × 2 tables had no empty cells and the inverse-variance method was used to calculate its risk ratio (RR) estimate and 95% CI. We also used the Fisher's exact test to calculate the exact 95% CI for the OR of the 2 × 2 table with the empty cell. Main results One single trial was eligible for inclusion. This non-randomised, unblinded, controlled trial undertaken in Bangladesh involved 117 tetanus patients. Vitamin C at a dosage of 1 g/day was administered intravenously alongside conventional treatment. At recruitment, the participants were stratified into two age groups and the results were reported by age. There was a significant difference in the vitamin C effect between the two age groups (P = 0.01). In the tetanus patients aged 1 to 12 years (n = 62), vitamin C treatment was associated with a 100% reduction in case fatality rate (95% CI from -100% to -94%). In patients aged 13 to 30 years (n = 55), vitamin C treatment was associated with a 45% reduction in case fatality rate (95% CI from -69% to -5%). Authors' conclusions A single, non-randomised, poorly reported trial of vitamin C as a treatment for tetanus suggests a considerable reduction in mortality. However, concerns about trial quality mean that this result must be interpreted with caution and vitamin C cannot be recommended as a treatment for tetanus on the basis of this evidence. New trials should be carried out to examine the effect of vitamin C on tetanus treatment.
19 citations
Cites background from "Efficacy of vitamin C in counteract..."
...In particular, Dey 1966 reported that five rats administered twice the minimal lethal dose of tetanus toxin all died, whereas 25 rats administered vitamin C either before or after the toxin all lived (Hemilä 2006)....
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TL;DR: The classical form of Barlow's disease or infantile scurvy, with bruises, broken bones and sores that will not heal, is rarely seen today, but it seems to be reappearing under a different guise, when infants with borderline vitamin C depletion are assaulted with too many inoculations at one time.
Abstract: The classical form of Barlow's disease or infantile scurvy, with bruises, broken bones and sores that will not heal, is rarely seen today, but it seems to be reappearing under a different guise, when infants with borderline vitamin C depletion are assaulted with too many inoculations at one time. Moreover, it is now sometimes mistakenly diagnosed as child abuse.
13 citations
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TL;DR: It was of interest to investigate the action of tetanus toxin on synaptic inhibition, since it has now been shown that strychnine acts specifically by diminishing all types of synaptic inhibitory action.
Abstract: THOUGH the general effects produced by tetanus toxin on the nervous system have been reported by many investigators, there is still no precise evidence as to its mode of action1. Sherrington2 pointed out that tetanus toxin closely resembles strychnine in many of its effects, and postulated that both substances convert synaptic inhibition into excitation. Recently3, it has also been found that tetanus toxin resembles strychnine in that the monosynaptic tendon jerk is but little affected by moderate dosage. Since it has now been shown that strychnine acts specifically by diminishing all types of synaptic inhibitory action4,5, it was of interest to investigate the action of tetanus toxin on synaptic inhibition.
53 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Vitamin C fails to confer complete protection against tetanus intoxication in vivo, under the conditions of the authors' tests, and its chemical basis is obscure.
Abstract: 1. 1. Vitamin C, when added to tetanus toxin in vitro , brings about inactivation of the toxin.
2. 2. This inactivation is not due to an acid effect, since it occurs when the ascorbic acid has been adjusted to a pH at which the potency of the toxin is undiminished.
3. 3. The inactivation phenomenon does not follow the laws of multiple proportions. Its chemical basis is obscure.
4. 4. Vitamin C fails to confer complete protection against tetanus intoxication in vivo , under the conditions of our tests.
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