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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2013 Nov 11;5(11):4451-61.
doi: 10.3390/nu5114451.

A randomised cross-over pharmacokinetic bioavailability study of synthetic versus kiwifruit-derived vitamin C

Anitra C Carr  1 , Stephanie M Bozonet, Margreet C M Vissers
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A randomised cross-over pharmacokinetic bioavailability study of synthetic versus kiwifruit-derived vitamin C

Anitra C Carr et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Kiwifruit are a rich source of vitamin C and also contain numerous phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, which may influence the bioavailability of kiwifruit-derived vitamin C. The aim of this study was to compare the relative bioavailability of synthetic versus kiwifruit-derived vitamin C using a randomised cross-over pharmacokinetic study design. Nine non-smoking males (aged 18-35 years) received either a chewable tablet (200 mg vitamin C) or the equivalent dose from gold kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. Sungold). Fasting blood and urine were collected half hourly to hourly over the eight hours following intervention. The ascorbate content of the plasma and urine was determined using HPLC with electrochemical detection. Plasma ascorbate levels increased from 0.5 h after the intervention (P = 0.008). No significant differences in the plasma time-concentration curves were observed between the two interventions (P = 0.645). An estimate of the total increase in plasma ascorbate indicated complete uptake of the ingested vitamin C tablet and kiwifruit-derived vitamin C. There was an increase in urinary ascorbate excretion, relative to urinary creatinine, from two hours post intervention (P < 0.001). There was also a significant difference between the two interventions, with enhanced ascorbate excretion observed in the kiwifruit group (P = 0.016). Urinary excretion was calculated as ~40% and ~50% of the ingested dose from the vitamin C tablet and kiwifruit arms, respectively. Overall, our pharmacokinetic study has shown comparable relative bioavailability of kiwifruit-derived vitamin C and synthetic vitamin C.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Pharmacokinetic study design. Participants received either 1.5 Sungold kiwifruit (containing ~200 mg vitamin C) or chewable vitamin C tablets (total of 200 mg vitamin C) in a randomised cross-over design with a three week washout period between the two clinic days.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Change in plasma ascorbate uptake following ingestion of 200 mg vitamin C (●) or 1.5 Sungold kiwifruit (○). Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 9). Baseline plasma ascorbate concentrations were 61 ± 6 µmol/L and 66 ± 6 µmol/L for the vitamin C and kiwifruit groups, respectively. Two way analysis of variance with Fisher pairwise multiple comparison procedure indicated a significant increase in plasma ascorbate from 0.5 h post intervention (P = 0.008), but no significant difference between the two interventions (P = 0.645).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Change in urinary ascorbate excretion following ingestion of 200 mg vitamin C (●) or 1.5 Sungold kiwifruit (○). Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 9). Baseline urinary ascorbate concentrations were 10 ± 4 µmol/mmol creatinine and 14 ± 3 µmol/mmol creatinine for the vitamin C and kiwifruit groups, respectively. Two way analysis of variance with Fisher pairwise multiple comparison procedure indicated a significant increase in plasma vitamin C from two hours post intervention (P < 0.001), as well as a significant difference between the two interventions (P = 0.016).
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