Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Rhinovirus Replication in WI-38 Cells

Abstract

Numerous field studies have been conducted in an effort to determine the efficacy of vitamin C treatment in preventing or alleviating symptoms of the common cold. The results have been equivocal mainly because the studies were usually though not always retrospective and depended on many subjective interpretations (1-5). Another and perhaps more objective approach to the problem is to investigate the effect of ascorbic acid on rhinovirus replication at the cellular level under conditions which can be controlled. To date, there have been limited attempts in this direction (6).Preliminary tests in this laboratory suggest that ascorbic acid significantly inhibits rhinovirus replication in human diploid cells. Variables such as the concentration of ascorbic acid and its toxicity for human diploid cells, the thermal inactivation of rhinovirus in the presence of ascorbic acid, and the multiplicity of infection were considered in the design of experiments. Standardization and control of these variables was necessary before the effect of ascorbic acid on rhinovirus replication in diploid cells as demonstrated by one-step and multistep growth curves could be evaluated.

Ascorbic acid inhibits replication and infectivity of avian RNA tumor virus.

“…The latter results, however, have not been confirmed in other laboratories. WI-38 cells treated with ascorbic acid and glutathione and infected with rhinovirus did not show much interferon production (28). Nevertheless, it is conceivable that ascorbic acid, under our culture conditions, could increase interferon production by RSV-infected cultures and hence further retard virus spread.…”

Vitamin C and the common cold: a retrospective analysis of Chalmers' review.

“…by phagocytes during a viral infection [6,[34][35][36][37]. Also, vitamin C may enhance the proliferative responses of T-lymphocytes [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46], and increase the production of interferon [47][48][49][50][51].…”

Update: Effects of Antioxidant and Non-Antioxidant Vitamin Supplementation on Immune Function

“…High circulating levels of serum vitamin C are associated with enhanced antibody response, 58,59 neutrophil function, 60,61 and mitogenic response 62 in several animal models. Ascorbate has also been shown to inhibit several viruses in vitro, including herpes virus, 63 rhinoviruses, 64,65 and HIV. 66,67 Below we review the impact of vitamin C supplementation on parameters of innate and adaptive immunity and discuss potential correlations between the observed effects and clinical outcomes.…”