Objective: To study the therapeutic effect of intravenous high-dose vitamin C on implanted hepatoma in rats.
Methods: The rats bearing implanted Walker-256 hepatoma were treated with high-dose vitamin C at 2.83 and 5.65 g/kg intravenously, and the general condition, liver functions (A/G, ALT, AST, GGT), tumor volume, and tumor growth of the rats were evaluated.
Results: The A/G of the rats treated with 2.83 g/kg vitamin C was significantly higher, but the ALT and GCT were significantly lower than those of the model rats (P<0.05 or 0.01). The ALT level in rats with 5.65 g/kg vitamin C treatment was significantly lower than that of the model rats (P<0.05). The tumor necrosis rate was significantly higher in rats with 2.83 g/kg vitamin C treatment than in the model rats (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Intravenous administration of 2.83 g/kg vitamin C can promote the necrosis and apoptosis of hepatoma Walker256 cells in rats and protect the liver function of the tumor-bearing rats.