Drug Related To Me

 VITAMIN C

 Few years ago, I was suffering with very frequent cold/flu with stuffy nose. Most of the time I will be holding tissue covering my nose. I was on Piriton tablets but it could not help me much. Beside, I was having upper gum pain. My brother read some articles on net and suggested VITAMIN C for my problem. As per his advise, I started to take vitamin C. Surprisingly my flu has becoming lesser day by day and my gums problem has gone after I continue taking this supplement. It has given a solution for which I was suffering for many years.

As this supplement has given me a cure, I surfed on net more about this Vitamin C. I was shocked as i go on reading the benefits of it. It can do wonders to human's health. The benefits of Vitamin C are:

Common Cold
Vitamin C fight against bacteria, viruses, and infection,and also serves as an affective antihistamine that will lighten the unpleasant effects of the common cold, including inflammation, stuffy nose and aches.

Immunity
Not only is vitamin C a well-known component of your immune system, it is also necessary for collagen, the main structural protein found in connective tissue. A healthy dose of vitamin C will protect your body from infection and maintain healthy bones and teeth, as well as quicken the body’s ability to repair wounds.

Antioxidant
Vitamin C is a powerful and effective antioxidant that protects our bodies from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. This oxidative stress can cause severe health problems includes atherosclerosis which causes both heart disease and stroke and leads to other disease such as lung cancer, mouth cancer, throat cancer, colon cancer, stomach and esophagus cancer. It also helps to regenerate supplies of vitamin E which is another type of antioxidant.

Hypertension
Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure, and thus probability of getting hypertension is lesser. Besides, it also lessen the other serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease.

Blood Vessels
Along with lowering blood pressure, vitamin C ensures proper dilation of blood vessels, which can prevents such diseases as atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, congestive heart failure, and angina pectoris. 

Lead Toxicity
Vitamin C  lowers blood lead level. As studies have shown that lead toxicity can lead to behavioral and developmental problems such as learning disabilities and lowered IQ, this vitamin C is important for children living in urban area. Moreover, Vitamin C helps for patients suffering from kidney damage and high blood pressure.

Cataracts
The lens of the human eye requires vitamin C to function properly, and a deficiency can lead to cataracts. A higher intake of vitamin C has been shown to fight cataracts by increasing the amount of blood flow to the eye.

Besides that, Vitamin C also help to fight other diseases and helps to prevent infections.


Chemical & Physical Properties of Vitamin C 

Empirical formula: C₆H₈O₆
Molecular weight: 176.1
Melting point: about 190°C (with decomposition)
Appearance: white to slightly yellowish crystalline powder, practically
odorless, with a strong acidic taste.

 Vitamin C, or Ascorbic acid is a natural compound, whose peculiar antioxidant properties are used in biological systems and for the conservation of several different manufacts. The ascorbic acid molecule  contains four hydroxyl groups in positions 2, 3, 5 and 6; the -OH group in position 3 is acidic (pK_a,3=4.2), the hydroxyl in position 2 has pK_a,2=11.6, while those in position 5 and 6 behave as a secondary and primary alcoholic residue respectively.

Vitamin C is very sensitive to even slight heating, to the light, and to the action of oxidizing agents and metal ions.Vitamin C is readily oxidized, especially in aqueous solutions, by reacting with atmospheric oxygen, and behaves as a two-electron donor.




References:
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/7-health-benefits-of-vitamin-c.html
http://www.benefitsofvitaminc.com/
http://www.netsci-journal.com/97v4/97014/vitc2.html