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Review
. 2010 Jan;26(1):128-32.
doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2009.09.015.

Combined inhalational and oral supplementation of ascorbic acid may prevent influenza pandemic emergency: a hypothesis

Dibyajyoti Banerjee  1 , Deepak Kaul
Affiliations
Review

Combined inhalational and oral supplementation of ascorbic acid may prevent influenza pandemic emergency: a hypothesis

Dibyajyoti Banerjee et al. Nutrition. 2010 Jan.

Abstract

Occurrence of influenza pandemics is a worldwide phenomenon and a significant cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the globe. It is due to mutations in the influenza virus genetic material creating antigenic drift of pathogenic viral proteins resulting in emergence of new influenza virus strains. Therefore, the vaccines available for prevention of influenza offer no protection against influenza pandemics caused by new virus strains. Moreover, the existing drugs used to combat influenza may be ineffective to treat influenza pandemics due to the emergence of drug resistance in the pandemic virus strain. Therefore, a working strategy must be developed to combat influenza pandemics. In this review we have addressed this problem and reviewed the published studies on ascorbic acid in the common cold and influenza and laboratory studies on the effect of ascorbic acid on influenza virus. We have also correlated the clinical and laboratory studies and developed a hypothesis to prevent influenza pandemics.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Diagram showing possible antiviral mechanisms of high concentrations of vitamin C by arresting the cell cycle and modulating host gene expression .The possible pro-oxidant action of vitamin C in the presence of iron to render antiviral effects is also represented. The cell cycle inhibition effect of vitamin C is shown at S phase directly and at G0G1 phase through LXR-α overexpression and subsequent c-myc underexpression, which reduces the availability of cells at G2 M phase, required for viral genome integration, a mandatory event for successful causation of influenza. Vitamin C–induced LXR-α overexpression and subsequent downregulation of MMP-9 gene are also shown, which are important to inhibit the spread of influenza infection. Relevant references are indicated within square brackets. Upregulation and downregulation of gene expression are indicated by upward and downward dashed arrows. A hyphen within parentheses represents inhibition of that particular process. MMP, matrix metalloprotease.
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