Effect of vitamin E and vitamin C combination on experimental influenza virus infection.

Successful antioxidant treatment of the so-called "free radical diseases" has been reported in the literature. In this study we examined the preventive effect of vitamin E and vitamin C, alone and in combination, on the damage caused by influenza virus infection (IVI). Male mice (ICR), infected with influenza virus A/2/68/(H3N2) (1.5 of LD(50)), were administered single once-daily doses of vitamin E (60 mg/kg b.w.) and vitamin C (80 mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally (3 days before virus inoculation). On the 5th and 7th day, respectively, after virus inoculation, animals were decapitated. Monooxygenase enzyme activity (ethylmorphine N-demethylase, amidopyrin N-demethylase, analgin N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome C reductase [CCR]) was determined in liver 9000 x g supernatant. Primary and secondary products of lipid peroxidation (LPO; conjugated dienes [CD] and TBA-reactive substances) were measured in blood plasma, lung and liver 9000 x g supernatant. Vitamin E effectively restored LPO-levels increased by IVI. The effect of vitamin C was similar, but slighter. The combination (vitamin E + C) had greater effect on LPO levels than their separate administration. P-450-dependent monooxygenase activity was significantly restored and more pronounced cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-CCR activity was noted. The preventive effect of vitamin E was stronger than the effect of vitamin C, but the combination (vitamin E + C) had the strongest effect. The superior protective effect of the combination is probably due to vitamin C's repairing effect on vitamin E's tocopheroxyl radical.