Massi e Doses o Vi amin C
In he T ea men o Vi al Diseases
WILSON L DALTON, M.D.
Shelby ille
TREATMENT OF VIRAL DISEASES
p esen s o he physician a pe plexing
and equen ly un ewa ding p oblem, pa -
icula ly since some 50 di e en diseases o
man a e o i al e iology. To da e no gen-
e ally e ec i e he apeu ic measu es ha e
been de ised o ea ing i al diseases, al-
hough some diseases caused by he la ges
o he known i uses appea o be a ec ed
by some chemo he apeu ic agen s. The apy
wi h speci ic an ise a is use ul as a p e en-
i e measu e du ing he incuba ion pe iod
o some i al diseases, bu is gene ally o
li le alue once clinical mani es a ions o
he in ec ion ha e ensued.1 The e o e, an
e ec i e he apeu ic agen ha would sub-
s an ially educe he mo bidi y o he
majo i y o i emias would p o ide he
physician wi h a mos aluable adjunc o
ea men .
The e ha e been a numbe o epo s in
he li e a u e sugges ing ha in ec ious
disease p ocesses apidly accele a e i amin
C deple ion and g ea ly inc ease i amin C
equi emen ." The ole o i amin C in
main aining s abili y and ensile s eng h
o connec i e issue is well known. This
p ope y a o s, among o he hings, he
building o a p o ec i e ba ie agains in-
ec ious in asion.4 When asco bic acid
s o es a e se e ely deple ed du ing he
cou se o in ec ious diseases, capilla y e-
sis ance dec eases and suscep ibili y o he
ac ion o ce ain oxins appea s o inc ease.2
I has been sugges ed ha means o al e -
ing he suscep ibili y o cells o in asion by
i uses could p o ide a me hod o con ol-
ling as well as p e en ing in ec ion.7
Se e al in es iga o s ha e epo ed em-
ploying massi e pa en e al doses o asco bic
acid in he adjunc i e ea men o i al
diseases. Klenne 3 has ad oca ed and em-
ployed massi e doses o in a enous asco -
bic acid o many yea s in he ea men
o a ious i al diseases including measles,
mumps, chickenpox, i al pneumonia and
i al encephali is, and has epo ed ema k-
able esul s. E en wi h doses as high as
65 mg./Kg. Klenne a ely encoun e ed any
ad e se e ec s and hose we e limi ed o
he si e o injec ion. Klenne has admin-
is e ed chemo he apeu ic agen s along wi h
asco bic acid o educe seconda y bac e ial
in ec ion and has ecommended he subse-
quen use o Vi amin BI ollowing in ec-
ious diseases in ol ing he ne ous sys-
em. He u he heo izes ha he nea
absence o asco bic acid in in ec ious s a es
may be a ibu ed o he i amin combin-
ing wi h he oxin and/o i us o o m a
new complex which is easily des oyed by
oxida ion. F ee om Reac ion
McCo mick4 adminis e ed asco bic acid
in a enously o in amuscula ly in massi e
epea ed doses, 500 o 1000 mg. e e y ou
hou s. He epo ed ha his app oach ex-
hibi ed a po en chemo he apeu ic-like ac-
ion in acu e in ec ious p ocesses which
compa ed a o ably o ha o he sul ona-
mides o an ibio ics bu wi h he ad an age
o comple e eedom om oxic o alle gic
eac ions. Bau and S aub5 epo ed highly
sa is ac o y esul s we e ob ained wi h
daily in a enous in usions o 10 gm. o
asco bic acid in 1000 cc. o iso onic saline
solu ion adminis e ed o an a e age o i e
days o pa ien s wi h in ec ious hepa i is.
They ha e desc ibed he ac ion o asco bic
acid as " i ucidal." Calleja and B ooks6 e-
po ed ha daily in a enous in usion o
5 gms. o asco bic acid o 24 days esul ed
in ema kable imp o emen in a pa ien
wi h acu e hepa i is when o he he apeu ic
measu es had p o ed u ile.
Repo s om Ge man li e a u e show
Augus 1962 1151
ha high doses o i amin C a e bene icial
in epidemic hepa i is in child en. These
bene icial e ec s we e clea ly obse ed in
63 cases o epidemic hepa i is ea ed wi h
high doses o i amin C in doses o 10 gms.
daily o an a e age o i e days gi en
ei he by ec al in usion o in a enously,
o bo h.9
This in es iga o e alua ed a p oduc
adema ked Vi on-1* as an adjunc in he
ea men o a se ies o cases in ol ing
diseases o p obable i al e iology. Vi on
is a p epa a ion o in a enous adminis a-
ion consis ing o 2000 mg. o asco bic acid
pe dose o i ied wi h ce ain B- i amins.
I was p ima ily conce ned wi h pa ien e-
sponse o his mode o he apy since ime o
eco e y was o majo economic impo ance
o hese pa ien s. I has been my pas ex-
pe ience ha he mo e in ense he pa ien 's
symp oms he g ea e he mo bidi y and
he longe he con alescen pe iod.
The ollowing case his o ies a e ep e-
sen a i e o his he apeu ic egime:
In ec ious Hepa i is
A 20-yea -old whi e emale hospi al med-
ical echnician was i s seen o he p esen
illness on No . 9, 1959. The illness da es
back o he sp ing o 1959 when she began
o eel p og essi ely weake , exhibi ed ma-
laise, ano exia, sligh nausea, when i was
disco e ed ha she had an ic e ic inge in
he se um. She was ea ed wi h bed es
o ou days and he sub-clinical jaundice
disappea ed wi h a e u n o he ic e us
index o no mal.
La e in No embe he symp oms o ma-
laise we e in ensi ied, she began o lose
weigh , became p og essi ely weake , and
p esen ed he sel o examina ion. I was
decided ha she had clinical jaundice o a
mino deg ee; howe e , he li e was no
palpable and he physical examina ion was
essen ially no mal.
She was hospi alized on No . 11 and was
seen in consul a ion by an in e nis who
con i med he diagnosis o hepa i is, e iol-
ogy unknown. He admission labo a o y
wo k e ealed a u ine which was essen ially
* Vi on-l was supplied by Lincoln Labo a o ies,
Inc., Deca u , 111.
nega i e, excep o he p esence o bile.
He he e ophile an ibody i e was nega-
i e; he ic e us index was 13.8 uni s (no -
mal being 4 o 6 o he me hod used); he
hemoglobin le el was 7.5 gms., hema oc i
eading was 21%, whi e blood coun was
13,000 wi h 72% polymo phs, 22% lymph-
ocy es, 3% monocy es and 3% eosinophiles.
P o h ombin ime was 105%- o s anda d.
Occul blood was ound in he s ool. O he
diagnos ic p ocedu es including ches x- ay
and gas oin es inal se ies we e no mal.
The pa ien was ea ed wi h bed es o
h ee days while con i ming labo a o y
es s, obse a ions and examina ions we e
made. He ic e us index ose o 32.5 on
No . 14. The pa ien 's empe a u e e-
mained "low g ade" being 99.2-99.4 o ally
a he highes poin s. A e a pe iod o
comple e bed es and high ca bohyd a e
die , he diagnosis was con i med by he
in e nis , a second consul an , and his
clinician. A no ime in he illness did she
ecei e chemo he apeu ic agen s.
D ama ic Imp o emen
The adminis a ion o Vi on-1 was ini-
ia ed and she ecei ed six in a enous 10
cc. injec ions du ing he emainde o he
hospi al s ay. Following he second injec-
ion o Vi on-1 he pa ien was amazed wi h
he p og ess and ema ked ha she had
los he eeling o "being sick." She wan ed
o go home wi hin 24 hou s a e Vi on-1.
injec ions we e ini ia ed, bu hospi aliza ion
was con inued. She was dismissed on No .
20, 1959, ma kedly imp o ed in subjec i e
eeling and d ama ically imp o ed clinically.
The pa ien was seen in my o ice on Dec.
1, 1959 a which ime he whi e coun had
d opped o 7,000 wi h 53 %polymo phs,
37% lymphocy es, 3% monocy es and 4%
eosinophiles. Hemoglobin le el was 12.8
gms. and he ic e us index had d opped o
8.0.
The e is no ques ion in he mind o his
in es iga o ha he in a enous adminis-
a ion o Vi on-1 had a p o ound he apeu-
ic e ec upon his pa ien . She had ob-
ained minimal bene i om comple e bed
es and high ca bohyd a e die be o e he
adminis a ion o Vi on-1. She ou wa dly
1152 JOURNAL o he Indiana S a e Medical Associa ion
exhibi ed, and eely discussed wi h he a -
ending physicians, he eeling o well-being
ollowing he adminis a ion o in a enous
Vi on-1. An accu a e diagnosis o he exac
ype o hepa i is was impossible. I was
assumed o be i al in na u e; howe e , i
may well ha e been a oxic condi ion. O he
han he academics in ol ed, he exac e i-
ology is ela i e. The impo an ac o o
conside is ha she esponded o Vi on-1 in
a mos sa is ac o y manne and one canno
bu assume ha he medica ion exe ed a
p o ound e ec upon he p og ess.
Pas expe ience wi h hepa i is o a ious
e iologies has gi en his obse e he im-
p ession ha eco e y om hepa i is, e-
ga dless o e iology, is ex emely slow and
pains aking. The apid and comple e e-
sponse o his pa ien o Vi on-1 has no
been obse ed ollowing classic and accep ed
he apeu ic measu es o ea ing hepa i is.
I is di icul o comp ehend a se o ci -
cums ances ha would coinciden ally ex-
plain he ma ked and apid imp o emen
in a pa ien as sick as his gi l. I was
ce ainly he mos d ama ic eco e y om
hepa i is ha I ha e e e obse ed.
In ec ious Mononucleosis
A while emale, age 36, complained o
gene alized aching, exhaus ion, ano exia
and malaise. He physical condi ion p io
o hese symp oms had been no mal.
Fe e , emi en in ype, accompanied he
symp oma ic complain s. A comple e blood
coun e ealed la ge acuola ed lympho-
cy es. A posi i e he e ophile an ibody i e
o 1:226 was eco ded. A diagnosis o acu e
in ec ious mononucleosis was made and in-
a enous Vi on-1 he apy was ini ia ed.
Clinical and subjec i e esponse o h ee
consecu i e daily 10 cc. injec ions was ex-
cellen . Symp oms emi ed in one week
ollowing beginning o he apy. The o e -
all mo bidi y was educed beyond expec a-
ion o he diagnosed condi ion. The medi-
ca ion was well ole a ed and no ad e se
side e ec s we e no ed. The apidi y o
pa ien esponse o Vi on-1 was d ama ic
since ull eco e y om in ec ious mono-
nucleosis a ely akes place in less han
wo o h ee weeks in my expe ience.
Vi us Pneumonia
A 60-yea -old male physician p esen ed
himsel wi h a his o y o excellen heal h
excep o his p esen illness. His symp-
oms we e exhaus ion, cough, low g ade
e e , ano exia, gene alized aching and p o-
use swea ing upon exe ion. Vi al pneu-
monia—pa chy ype—o he igh uppe
lobe was ound and con i med by x- ay
indings. T ea men consis ed o 10 ce. in-
a enous Vi on-1 o h ee days, bed es ,
and ASA Compound. The esponse was ex-
cellen —s eng h e u ned on he ou h
day and on he i h day he physician e-
u ned o wo k. The I. V. Vi on-1 was well
ole a ed and no un owa d side e ec s we e
obse ed. Vi on ce ainly sho ened he
expec ed mo bidi y o a case o his na u e.
Acu e Vi al Type Pneumonia
A emale, age 47, was in excellen gene al
physical condi ion wi h excep ion o ch onic
b onchiec asis. When i s seen o he p es-
en illness his woman was comple ely de-
bili a ed. She was con ined o he bed and
complained o exhaus ion, ano exia and
gene alized ches pain. Tempe a u e ele a-
ion anged om minimal o no mal. A
diagnosis was made o acu e i al ype
pneumonia wi h seconda y bac e ial in-
ol emen o sinus and b onchial ee. She
was gi en in a enous Vi on-1, 10 cc. in-
jec ions, on Oc . 26, 27 and SO and No . 3,
6, 9,1959. No o he medica ion was u ilized.
Pa ien el be e a e he second injec-
ion o Vi on-1 and insis ed on con inued
he apy. He exhaus ion synd ome con-
inued o show ema kable imp o emen .
P og ess was con inuous and he admin-
is a ion o Vi on-1 ma kedly educed
mo bidi y as compa ed o he p e ious
ecu en pneumonias. She ole a ed he
injec ions well and no ad e se side e ec s
we e obse ed.
Vi al Pneumonia and B onchi is
A male, age 41, was in good physical con-
di ion excep o he p esen illness and e-
cu ing pain om a he nia ed lumbosac al
disk. He complained o headache, gene al-
ized muscula aching and exhaus ion. His
empe a u e was 100°-100.4° o ally. The
diagnosis was acu e i al pneumonia and
Augus 1962 1153
b onchi is, ollowing acu e sinusi is. Injec-
ions o in a enous Vi on-1, 10 cc., we e
gi en on July 14, 15, 16, 1959. The pa ien
was seen o ollow-up examina ion on July
23 and was symp om ee. He had expe i-
enced ma ked elie bo h om sinusi is and
i al pneumonia symp oms and had e-
u ned o wo k on i h day ollowing he -
apy wi hou my pe mission. The mo bidi y
pe iod in his case was de ini ely sho ened
beyond expec a ion. Vi on-1 was well ol-
e a ed by he pa ien and no side e ec s
we e obse ed.
Gene alized Vi emia
This male, age 72, was in ai gene al
physical condi ion. Pa ien complained o
" eeling bad", hoa seness, exhaus ion and
dep ession ollowing "in luenza." His em-
pe a u e was no mal, bu he had a pe -
sis en cough. I made a diagnosis o gen-
e alized i emia wi h b onchi is and igh
ecu en la yngeal neu i is. Vi on-1 was
gi en in a enously on Oc . 28, 30 and No .
6, 1959. He expe ienced a elie o symp-
oms and el be e . Ma ked imp o emen
in symp oms o i emia we e obse ed. The
medica ion was o ques ionable bene i o
he neu i is. Vi on-1 was well ole a ed—
no un owa d side e ec s we e obse ed.
Summa y
In hese selec ed six cases o p obable
i al in ec ions, Vi on-1 p omo ed p omp
pa ien esponse. In ou o he abo e men-
ioned cases imp o emen was especially
apid and d ama ic. The pa ien s we e o
di e en g oups and condi ions ea ed
we e a ied. O signi ican in e es is he
sho ened mo bidi y pe iod obse ed when
Vi on-1 was gi en ei he singly o in con-
junc ion wi h o he he apy. No un owa d
side e ec s we e obse ed.
Conclusion
In he expe ience o his in es iga o
daily doses o 2000 mg. o asco bic acid
o i ied wi h B-complex i amins gi en in-
a enously p o ides a aluable adjunc in
he ou ine managemen o a a ie y o
acu e i al in ec ions. Fu he in es iga ion
is wa an ed o de e mine he comple e
ange o i al diseases which can be ea ed
bene icially wi h his he apeu ic adjunc .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Cecil & Loeb: A Tex book o Medicine, 10 h
Edi ion, W. B. Saunde s Co., Philadelphia, 2,
1959.
2. Beckman, H.: D ugs, Thei Na u e, Ac ion &
Use, W. B. Saunde s Co., Philadelphia, 640,
1958.
3. Klenne , F. R.: Pape p esen ed a 52nd Annual
Mee ing o he T i-S a e Med. Assn., Columbia,
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69, 151-5, 1952.
5. Bau , H., S aub, H.: Schweiz, Med. Wchnsch .
84, 595, 1954; abs ac ed in JAMA. 150, 565,
1954.
6. Calleja, H. B., B ooks, R. H.: Ohio S a e Med.
J., p. 821, June, 1960.
7. Modell W., (Ed.), D ugs o Choice, 1960-61, C.
V. Mosby Co., S . Louis, 176, 1960.
8. Me ck Se ice Bulle in, Vi amin C, pp. 126-135
1956 con aining abs ac s o 26 clinical epo s
ela ing o he ole o Vi amin C in in ec ions.
9. (a) Ki chmai , H., Asco binsau ebehandlung
de hapa i is im kindesal e , Das Deu sche Ges-
undhei swesen, 12:773,1967; (b) Ki chmai , H.,
and Ki sch, B., Behandlung de hapa i ia epi-
demica im kindesal e mi hohen doaen aaco -
binsau e, Medizinischc mono ssch i , 11:353,
1957. 117 W. Washing on S .
Shelby ille, Indiana
1154
JOURNAL o he Indiana S a e Medical Associa ion
