Summary
Vitamin C and Vitamin C-Cu complex inhibit urease activity, the inhibition being very marked in the latter case.
The inhibition of urease activity of Vitamin C is not due to dehydro-ascorbic acid as the degree of inhibition produced by it is negligible compared to that produced by Vitamin C at equal concentration.
A variety of compounds other than cysteine, like 8-hydroxy-quinoline, sodium-diethyl-dithio-carbamate and potassium cyanide, which are known to protect Vitamin C against oxidation catalysed by Cu++, are shown to protect the urease from inactivation by Vitamin C and Vitamin C-Cu. showing that the inactivation of urease by Vitamin C is related to the oxidation of the vitamin.
A well marked correlation between the inactivation of urease on the one hand and the oxidation of Vitamin C on the other has been established.
It is suggested that the inactivation of urease by Vitamin C catalyzed by Cu++ may be due to any intermediate products like Cu2O formed during the oxidation.
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Seshagiri Rao, P., Giri, K.V. Interaction of Vitamin C and urease. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 35, 132–142 (1952). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03049944
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03049944