American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 8, 369-373, Copyright © 1960 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Effect of D-Glucuronic Acid and D-Glucuronolactone on Ascorbic Acid Levels in Blood and Urine of Man and Dog

¹ From the U. S. Army Medical Research and Nutrition Laboratory, Fitzsimmons Army Hospital, Denver, Colorado

When human subjects were given 1 gm. of d-glucuronolactone orally the ascorbic acid levels in plasma increased. There was an excess renal excretion of 8 mg. per hour of ascorbic acid accompanied by an excess excretion of 0.2 mg. per hour of xylulose.

When the same subjects were given 1 gm. of d-glucuronic acid orally there was no increase in ascorbic acid levels in blood. Although no significant increase was noted in urinary ascorbic acid levels, the excess excretion of xylulose in the urine was 8.1 mg. per hour.

The infusion of a dog with 1 gm. of d-glucuronolactone or d-glucuronic acid caused an increase in the ascorbic acid levels in blood. The renal excretion of ascorbic acid was 10.3 mg. per hour during the experiments with d-glucuronolactone and 11 mg. per hour during the experiments with d-glucuronic acid. The xylulose excretion was not significantly changed.