Fig. 3
From: Making sense of early high-dose intravenous vitamin C in ischemia/reperfusion injury
Pleiotropic effects of vitamin C. 1. Vitamin C scavenges free radicals from superoxide (O2∙-). 2. Vitamin C inhibits activation of xanthine oxidase and of 3, NADPH oxidase. 4. Vitamin C protects the mitochondria from oxidative stress caused by increased leakage of electrons from the dysfunctional electron transport chain. 5. Vitamin C recovers tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) from dihydrobiopterin (BH2), restoring endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity and increasing eNO bioavailability. 6. Vitamin C inhibits inducible NOS (iNOS) activation, preventing profuse iNO production and peroxynitrite (ONOO−) generation. 7. Vitamin C scavenges ONOO−, preventing loosening of the tight junctions of the endothelium. 8. Vitamin C recovers α‐ tocopherol, which protects against lipid peroxidation