Ascorbigen

What is ascorbigen?

Ascorbigen is a compound that occurs naturally in sauerkraut and cabbage. When vegetables containing ascorbigen are cooked, the ascorbigen they contain breaks down into ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and 3 hydroxyindole. Ascorbigen is used by some people to treat fibromyalgia and to prevent breast cancer.

How does Ascorbigen work?

At this time, there is not enough information available to say how Ascorbigen might work.

How effective is Ascorbigen?

There is not enough scientific data available at this time to make a statement about the effectiveness of Ascorbigen for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Some research suggests that a combination of Ascorbigen and broccoli powder may reduce pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia. There is also insufficient scientific information on the effectiveness of Ascorbigen in preventing breast cancer. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Ascorbigen in these applications.

Are there any safety concerns

The use of Ascorbigen for up to one month appears to be safe and harmless. However, it may cause flatulence, bloating and an unpleasant taste in the mouth.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Not enough is known about the use of Ascorbigen during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Ascorbigen to be on the safe side.

Interactions with medications

Care should be taken when combining Ascorbigen with the following medications:

Medications that are broken down by the liver (cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) substrates).

Some drugs are broken down by the liver. Ascorbigen can increase the rate at which the liver breaks down certain medicines. Taking Ascorbigen in combination with some medicines that are broken down by the liver could reduce the effect of these medicines.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of Ascorbigen depends on various factors such as age, health status and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for Ascorbigen. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

1. Bonnesen C, Eggleston IM, Hayes JD. Dietary indoles and isothiocyanates that are generated from cruciferous vegetables can both stimulate apoptosis and confer protection against DNA damage in human colon cell lines. Cancer Res 2001;61:6120-30.
2. Bramwell B, Ferguson S, Scarlett N, Macintosh A. The use of ascorbigen in