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ASCORBID ACID IS DECREASED IN INDUCED SPUTUM OF MILD ASTHMATICS
Citation:
Kongerud, J., K Crissman, G E. Hatch, AND N. E. Alexis. ASCORBID ACID IS DECREASED IN INDUCED SPUTUM OF MILD ASTHMATICS. INHALATION TOXICOLOGY. Taylor & Francis, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, 15:101-109, (2003).
Description:
ABSTRACT
Evidence suggests that the antioxidant ascorbic acid (AA), plays an essential role in defending against oxidant attack in the airways. Decreased levels of AA have been reported in asthmatics but not at the site directly proximal to asthma pathology, i.e. the bronchial airways. Induced sputum (IS) selectively samples the surfaces of the bronchial airways. We perfomred IS in a group of mild asthmatics (N=16) and healthy controls (N=18) in order to compare constitutive levels of antioxidants in the airways of these two groups. We report that asthmatics had significantly decreased AA in both the cellular and fluid phase fraction of the IS sample compared to normals. No differneces were found with glutathione (GSH) and a-tocopherol. These results suggest that AA deficiency may be an underlying factor involved in the pathophsiology of asthma.