ascorbic-acid and Frostbite

Frostbite, the severest form of cold injury is a serious medical problem for our Armed Forces operating in the snow bound areas at high altitude. Effects of treatment by rapid rewarming in tea decoction followed by combined therapy of pentoxifylline, aspirin and vitamin C were evaluated in amelioration of tissue damage due to experimentally induced frostbite in rats.. Experiments were conducted in 2 groups (25 each) of albino rats (control i.e., untreated and experimental i.e., treated). Frostbite was produced experimentally in all the animals by exposing one of the hind limbs at -12 +/- 1 degree C with wind flow 25-30 lit/min for 30 min in a freezing-machine, with simultaneous recordings of rectal and ambient temperatures. The degree of tissue damage was assessed after 10 days. Following cold exposure, neither external thawing nor any medication was given to the animals of the control group; while the exposed limb of the experimental animals was rewarmed in tea decoction maintained at 37-39 degrees C for 30 min immediately after cold exposure, with simultaneous oral ingestion of warm tea decoction. These animals were also given pentoxifylline (40 mg/kg), aspirin (5 mg/kg) and vitamin C (50 mg/kg) twice daily orally for the next 7 days.. In the control group, 68 per cent animals suffered from severe (56%) to very severe (12%) frostbite, while the remaining 32 per cent had moderate frostbite. No animals of this group could escape injury or suffered anything less than moderate frostbite; whereas 52 per cent of experimental animals escaped injury (no frostbite) and 32 and 16 per cent suffered only with primary and moderate degree of injury, respectively. None from this group suffered from severe or very severe frostbite.. It is evident from the study that this combined therapy resulted in significant improvement in the degree of tissue preservation and proved to be highly beneficial as an immediate treatment of frostbite in rats. The combined pharmacological properties of these drugs might have altered the haemorrheologic status of blood and produced curative beneficial effect in improving tissue survival. Clinical studies are required for confirmation of these beneficial effects in humans, which has already been taken up.

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Aspirin; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Free Radical Scavengers; Frostbite; Hematologic Agents; Hot Temperature; Male; Pentoxifylline; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Solutions; Tea; Time Factors

The effect of treatment by high dose of vitamin C, rapid rewarming by 37 degrees C water alone and with vitamin C, rapid rewarming by 37 degrees C decoction of Indian black tea alone and with vitamin C for experimentally produced frostbite was evaluated in 6 groups (25 each) of rats. Frostbite was produced experimentally in the hind limbs by exposing the animals at -15 degrees C for 1h using the harness technique. The degree of injury was assessed and classified on the basis of tissue necrosis at the end of 15 days. Administration of high dose of vitamin C for prolonged period and rapid rewarming at 37 degrees C water bath immediately after cold exposure apparently reduced the tissue damage. High dose of vitamin C therapy preceded by rapid rewarming in plain water showed additional benefit. Rapid rewarming in decoction of Indian tea resulted in identical beneficial effect. The degree of tissue preservation was highest with rapid rewarming in tea decoction followed by high dose of vitamin C.

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Female; Frostbite; Male; Rats; Rewarming; Tea; Water

Topics: Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Caproates; Citrates; Female; Flavonoids; Frostbite; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nucleosides; Phlebitis; Rutin; Skin Diseases; Telangiectasis; Varicose Ulcer; Varicose Veins; Vascular Diseases

Topics: Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Fibrinolysin; Frostbite; Histamine H1 Antagonists; Humans; Male; Procaine; Vasodilator Agents

Topics: Animals; Ascorbic Acid; Frostbite; Haplorhini; Humans; Vitamins