[Ascorbic acid supply and cytochrome P-450 levels in guinea pig liver after dimethylformamide poisoning].

The universal solvent dimethylformamide (DMFA) administered to guinea-pigs in a dose of 400 mg/kg bw per os for 14 days produced a considerable decrease in the content of total and reduced ascorbic acid (AA) in the liver, in all forms of AA in the adrenals, and lowering of vitamin C excretion with daily urine. The liver showed an increase in the concentration of dehydroascorbic acid and diminution of the concentration of cytochrome P-450 detected in liver homogenates. Additional administration of AA (50 mg/day) recovered the lowered level of the vitamin in the liver and adrenals but did not make the daily excretion of AA with urine return to normal. Additional administration of vitamin C to guinea-pigs recovered the level of cytochrome P-450 in liver homogenates, which was reduced during DMFA poisoning. One of the reasons for the development of vitamin C deficiency during DMFA poisoning is likely to be high oxidation of AA.