Objective: To investigate the effect of ascorbic acid (VC) on relaxation of ex vivo Bufo gastrocnemius during sustained isometric contraction.
Methods: Dynamic tension of the muscle was recorded under constant voltage stimulation within 7.0 min at 2 s intervals. The rest tension and relaxation rate of the muscle was obtained by weighted fitting to the relaxation process of tension <90% of its peak with a mono-exponential model to characterize the muscular relaxation.
Results: VC at 2.0 mmol/L alone or in combination with the inhibitors of the antixoidation enzymes (surperoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase) resulted in negligible alterations in the muscular relaxation kinetics. VC combined with the inhibitor of surperoxide dismutase resulted in significantly lowered relaxation rate while increased rest tension, but VC with the inhibitor of either catalase or glutathione peroxidase showed negligible action. VC combined with the inhibitors of all the 3 enzymes also caused significant effect on the muscular relaxation kinetics, which was similar the effect of VC with superoxide dismutase inhibitor.
Conclusion: VC at high concentration may result in oxidative toxicity to the biological system rich in transitional metal ion complexes but with low antioxidation capacity by causing superoxide-mediated oxidative damages.