title: Inhibitory effect of l-ascorbic acid on the growth of astrocytes in cell culture.
abstract: The effect of l-ascorbic acid on the growth of astrocytic cells in culture was investigated. l-Ascorbic acid produced a concentration-dependent reduction of the growth of astrocytes, both in normal and tumor cells. The effect of l-ascorbic acid was similar to that of the relative acidification of the medium, except in treated concentrations greater than 10(-6) M. The effects produced by both l- and d-forms of ascorbic acid were the same. The inhibitory effect of l-ascorbic acid at greater concentrations was partially prevented by oxidized glutathione and increased by the large concentration of reduced glutathione. This result suggests that l-ascorbic acid possesses the ability to inhibit the growth of astrocytic cells in culture through the acidification of the medium at small concentrations and/or the antioxidative properties of this compound at larger concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Jou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002452:Cell Count; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid