Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To study the inhibitory effects of Vitamin C on lymphocyte DNA damage induced by organic extracts from water. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Solid phase extraction was used to extract the organic pollutants in tap water and the lymphocyte DNA damage in mice treated with Vitamin C (50，100，200 mg/kg) and organic extracts of water in several different ways (simultaneous treatment with Vitamin C and organic extracts of water, pre-treatment and post-treatment with Vitamin C)was studied. After 3d of gastric gavages, peripheral blood was taken from experimental mice to extract the lymphocytes. Then single cell gel electrophoresis test was used to detect the inhibition of DNA damage. RESULTS:Vit C (100 mg/kg,200 mg/kg) could inhibit the lymphocyte DNA damage in mice. Lymphocyte DNA in mice could be damaged by medium and intake high doses of organic extracts in water (about 16L and 80L water) , and the data of tail DNA, tail moment, olive moment and tail area were significantly higher than the control(P<0.05 or P<0.01). This lymphocyte DNA damage could be inhibited by Vit C to different degrees, and the data of tail DNA, tail moment, olive moment and tail area of Vit C(100 mg/kg,200 mg/kg) were higher than the control and statistically different (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The innate cell DNA damage could be inhibited by Vit C and Vit C could also inhibit the lymphocyte DNA damage in mice induced by organic extracts from water.

Key words: vitamin C, organic extracts from water, lymphocyte, DNA damage, Single cell gel electrophoresis