The inhibitors of enzymatic and cupric ion oxidation of vitamin C

Abstract

1. The influence of xanthine, adenine, uric acid, theophylline, guanine, creaturine, oxalic acid, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and 8-Hydroxy-quinolin on the oxidation of vitamin C by Cu and ascorbic acid oxidase has been studied. 2. Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and 8-hydroxyquinolin inhibit both the enzymic and Cu oxidation of vitamin C. The other compounds investigated inhibit only the Cu oxidation without exerting any influence on the enzymic oxidation of the vitamin. 3. The bearing of these results on the nature of ascorbic acid oxidase and their application to the study of the nature of catalytic systems in plants which oxidise the vitamin have been discussed. Various types of inhibitors of vitamin C oxidation have been listed and properly classified.