Vitamin C Protects Against Hypertension-Induced DNA Damage

Saturday Jan 16, 2010 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study published in the Jan 6, 2010 issue of Human & Experimental Toxicology suggests that vitamin C protects against renovascular hypertension induced genotoxicity.
 
The study, led by Nishi EE and colleagues from Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, focused on the results of specific testing on 32 male Wistar rats.
 
Hypertension was induced by using a silver clip to cause partial obstruction of the left, renal artery.  The dose of vitamin C used was 150 mg/kg, for 7 consecutive days.
 
The researchers found that vitamin C protected blood cells against hypertension-induced genotoxicity.  Brain, liver and heart cells were all protected by vitamin C after hypertension-induced DNA damage.
 
They also found that vitamin C improved the severity of hypertension.

Reporting by David Liu and editing by Rachel Stockton