Ascorbic Acid as a Novel Co-factor for Cytochrome P450 Metabolism and Cancer Cell Selectivity

Presenter: Damian Wojcik, BSc, MBChB

Ascorbic acid can be viewed as a universal enzyme co-factor and more specifically as an enzyme co-factor for cancer cell selectivity. The electron transfer from ascorbic acid to oxygen is an enzymatic process mediated by a cytochrome P450 isozyme. In the case of cancer that isozyme is CYP1B1. This represents a highly beneficial synergy between ascorbic acid and CYP1B1 that could be exploited to enhance patient recovery.