title: Vitamin C: a new auxiliary treatment of epilepsy?
abstract: Although many approaches to the therapy of epilepsy exist, most of antiepileptic drugs, beside certain and unquestioned benefits, have convinced disadvantages. That is the reason for looking for new methods of treatment. Ascorbic acid, as an antioxidant and electron donor accumulated in central nervous system, seems to take part in diminishing reactions of oxidative stress in brain and cooperate with other antioxidants like alpha-tocoferol. Vitamin C, easily transported through the blood-brain barrier, is proved to reduce injury in the hippocampus during seizures. Depending on type of seizures, it has mostly inhibitory activity and even decreases mortality. Moreover, vitamin C acts as a neuroprotective factor by consolidating cell membranes and decreasing lipid peroxidation. A possible adjunctive role of vitamin C in epileptic patients needs to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Edyta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sawicka-Glazer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University, Lublin, Poland; Department of Physiopathology, Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland. Electronic address: czuczwarsj@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Stanisław J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Czuczwar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Ascorbic acid; Epilepsy; Neurodegeneration; Seizures