ascorbic acid

[AntonioLao]

It is also known as Vitamin C. All plants and almost all animals can make their own with the exception of man, the apes, the monkeys, and the guinea pigs. Why? No one knows. Its chemical compositions are similar to simple sugars (e.g. glucose and galactose, which having the same molecular formula, C₆H₁₂O₆ but differing in isomeric structures. Hence glucose and galactose have different physical and chemical properties). Vitamin C is the only important vitamin outside the B-complex soluble in water. Long before there was any knowledge of vitamins, Commander “James Bond” of the British Navy discovered that if the sailors ate limes during long sea voyages, scurvy did not happen. This is why British sailors are still called “limeys” and why there is a section of the London waterfront known as Limehouse. The greatest champion of Vitamin C was Linus Pauling. He was a brilliant and controversial scientist who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry for the work he did in his laboratory and a Nobel Prize for peace for the work he did outside it. The 1st great triumph of structural molecular biology was achieved by Pauling at Cal Tech, who, in 1951 discovered the basic structure of the protein molecule. This was instrumental to the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953. Pauling died August 19, 1994 at the age of 93 in Big Sur, California. A lifetime of peacemaking and daily doses of Vitamin C made him the happiest of chemical reaction: longevity, beneficial to everyone today.

The chemical formula of Vitamin C is given as C₆H₈O₆. However, some Lewis structures show a branch bond where CH₂ is bonded to a carbon atom and to the hydroxyl group OH, C—CH₂—OH. Hypothetically, if these two single-bonds can be broken then the CH₂⁺⁺ double positive molecular ions can be separated. The existence of this ionic compound is an indication that Vitamin C possesses the chemical component necessary for the treatments of RNA viral diseases. Reference: General Chemistry, by Linus Pauling.

[labelwench]

Rose Hips.

There are many varieties of roses, cultivated and wild, and most are prolific producers of a seed pod that forms at the base of each bloom. The pods ripen to a deep red, and here in Yukon, this is from mid-August on, depending on the early frost.

The pods remain on the plant through the winter and most all of our wildlife nibble on them, and domestic dogs, cats and horses will also ingest them readily.

Rose Hips are among the top five highest plant sources of vitamin C, averaging 2000 mg/100g of dried fruit in testing.

Indigenous peoples have long used the rose hip, fresh or dried, to make a hot tea. There are many ways to utilize rose hips, the outer portion eaten raw, or the entire hip cooked and eaten as a vegetable. A delicate wine can be made from either the petals (has a faint taste of clove) or the hips (taste like mild apple), and a marvelous jelly and a superb syrup can be easily made from this versatile seed pod. (I have made all of the above, excepting I can't convince the husband that rose hips are a vegetable, lol...)

I leave the chemical analysis work to you Antonio.

Perhaps, if people ate more rose hips, (and it takes but 1 or 2 on occasion), there would be less disease to find treatment for.

[AntonioLao]

I leave the chemical analysis work to you

I will look into it as soon as I can. But surely there wont be any surprises to uncover.

[labelwench]

I will look into it as soon as I can. But surely there wont be any surprises to uncover.

The analysis of the content of vitamin C stills holds many surprises, although perhaps not in the basic analysis of how much each plant contains. We have much to learn yet of how it interacts with our biology in relation to the other vitamins, minerals etc.

As a secondary thought, we should examine it's interaction with calcium, in particular, as our society seems to have a fascination with calcium (dairy industry?) and vitamin D, in that they are formulating these into everything conceivable. So, just how do dairy animals acquire their abundance of vitamin C? By eating the correct plants for their biology. I suggest we would do well to follow suit in the matter of vitamin C, and all others.

And then there is the matter of Acetylsalicylic acid, which occurs naturally in the bark of trembling aspen. During damp weather, the horses will seek out and chew on this bark.

[AntonioLao]

I have 3 minutes remaining for internet connect at the public library. See you tomorrow.

[AntonioLao]

From web searches the molecular formula of rose hip is given as C₂₀H₂₈O₂ Removing C₁₀H₈O₂ we get 10 CH₂ more than enough to treat RNA viral diseases.

[labelwench]

Sorry that I missed you today, Antonio. Work so interferes with life, I find, lol....

The following additional information on Rose hips may be of interest to you. The color and bolding, I have added, as these are the items that I find of interest.

Regards,

Lorrina

Rose hip
Description

Rose hips are the edible and nutritious fruit of the beautiful deciduous rose, a perennial member of the most extensive genus of classified plants. Botanists disagree on the number of species of rose, claiming 30–5,000, or more. There are more than 10,000 cultivated varieties of this fragrant native of Europe and the Middle East. Roses have been a garden favorite as far back as 2,600 b.c. during the time of the ancient Sumerians. This beneficial beauty was named the "Queen of Flowers" by the Greek poet Sappho writing in 600 b.c. Since that time legend and history have intertwined and volumes have been written about the cultivation and virtues of the much-loved rose. Garlands of roses decorated the statues of gods and goddesses in Greece and Rome. Early Christians considered rose hips to be sacred, and crafted the first rosary beads from rose hips. The rose is considered a symbol of love everywhere, despite, or perhaps because of, the thorny stems which can render a sharp prick to the unwary who are attracted to the fragrant and lovely blossoms.

Most species of rose grow as an upright shrub or a climbing vine. Wild roses often grow in thorny thickets or briers. The usually pinnate leaves are arranged alternately along the stems with two to four pairs of finely toothed, dark-green, oval leaflets and one terminal leaflet. The large blossoms of wild roses have five petals. They grow singly on the stem or in clusters of two or three. Cultivated varieties may have many more petals with colors as varied as white, yellow, pink, and many shades of red. A rose's true fruits are the numerous tiny achenes, each enclosing a single seed, contained within the hip. Rose hips develop from the stem tip that swells to enclose the hairy achenes. The smooth skin of the hip is first green, then turns shades of orange and, when fully ripe, a deep red.

Among the species of rose particularly valued for the hips are Rosa rugosa, known as Japanese rose;
R. canina, known variously as wild briar, witches briar, dog rose, hip fruit, or hip tree; R. acicularis ; and R. cinnamomea. The dog rose, so-named because of the belief that this wild briar could cure the bite of a rabid dog, thrives in stony ground, along embankments, in hedgerows, and on the edge of woods. The long and fibrous root and herbaceous trunk of this hardy species produces numerous shoots that divide into many thorny branches. The dagger-like thorns may also have inspired the common name, taken from the Old French word dague meaning dagger. The branches may reach 10 feet in length. They arch out and curve downward bearing an abundance of sweet-smelling, stalked flowers. The dog rose hips are said to contain the highest amounts of vitamin C of all the varieties, with 10 to 50 times that of an orange. In England, during the Second World War, the scarcity of citrus products led to a nationwide effort to harvest and process the nutritional hips of the dog rose. The dog rose hips, abundant in the countryside, provided the populace with adequate vitamin C to prevent the onset of the deficiency disease known as scurvy.

R. rugosa, also known as large-hip rose or wrinkled rose, is found growing wild in the northern United States and Canada, along coastal areas, and around seaside sand dunes. The dwarf shrub is valued for the size of the fleshy rose hips. This species is also distinguished by its very wrinkled leaves. This species is used in Chinese medicine. An infusion of the flowers, known as mei gui hua, is said to promote blood circulation, stimulate the flow of energy, and provide relief for stomach distress, liver stagnation, dysentery, mastitis, and leukorrhea.

General use

Rose petals and hips, and the seeds contained within the achenes, are medicinally valuable. The leaves are also sometimes used. Rose hips and seeds contain vitamins C, E, B, and K, tannin, pectin, carotene, malic and citric acid, flavonoids, fatty and volatile oils, and proteins. The vitamin content of the hips varies depending on the species, the growing conditions, the time and manner of harvest, and the care taken in drying and storage. The hips of roses grown in cooler climates have been found to have a higher content of vitamin C.

Rose hips are an abundant natural source of vitamin C, regarded as an important antioxidant. Used regularly as a tonic or food supplement, these compact, nutritious hips will help build the body's defense against colds and flu, catarrh, sore throats, and chest infections . Six to eight fresh raw rose hips, taken daily, will help prevent illness. Rose hip tea, taken following a course of antibiotic therapy, will help re-establish the beneficial bacteria in the digestive system. The natural balance of intestinal flora may have been disrupted or destroyed by the action of antibiotic drugs. Rose hip tea can also soothe the nervous system and relieve exhaustion. An infusion of the leaves and petals is said to help bring down fevers. A decoction of the seed is diuretic and is used for kidney ailments and problems with the lower urinary tract. The pectin and fruit acid content of the seeds have a laxative and mildly diuretic effect. Rose hip preparations can also ease the pelvic congestion and pain of menstruation .

The essential oil of rose, used in aromatherapy , has an uplifting effect, helpful in dispelling depression, stress , and nervous tension. The species generally used for oil distillation is a hybrid of R.centifolia and R. gallica. The oil is extracted from the fresh petals by water or steam distillation. Rose hip seed oil is vitamin rich and contains as much as 35% linoleic acid and 44% gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA. There are as many as 300 chemical constituents in rose oil, though only about one-third of these have been identified. This essential oil promotes tissue regeneration and is helpful in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis , and dry, sun-damaged, and aging skin. Newer methods of extracting the medicinal oil from rose hip seeds have yielded a purer product, without the need to evaporate the solvents used in older methods.

Preparations

Herbalists in centuries past, such as the Roman scholar Pliny the Elder, recorded numerous ways to prepare roses to extract their medicinal virtues. A variety of products using rose petals, hips, and seeds are commercially available, including perfumes and lotions, essential oil, rosewater, and tablets and tinctures.

The bright-red rose hips should be harvested in the fall after the first frost. The hips are cut lengthwise to facilitate drying and placed on a paper-lined tray in a warm and airy room out of direct sunlight. The irritant hairs on the dry hips can be winnowed by shaking the hips vigorously in a wire sieve. The hips should be stored in clearly labeled, dark glass containers in a cool location. The dried hips will retain medicinal potency for up to one year.

Decoction: Use about 2.5 tsp of thinly sliced, fresh or dried rose hips per 8 oz of cold water. Bring to a boil in a glass or ceramic pot. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drink cold in small doses throughout the day.

Tincture: Combine 4 oz of finely cut fresh rose petals and hips, or 2 oz dry powdered herb with one pint of brandy, gin, or vodka, in a glass container. The alcohol should be enough to cover the plant parts. Cover and store the mixture away from light for about two weeks, shaking several times each day. Strain and store in a tightly capped, dark-glass bottle. A standard dose is 10–15 drops of the tincture in water, up to three times a day.

Rose hip syrup: Clean the freshly gathered hips by removing the seed-bearing achenes and any fine hairs. Prepare a strong decoction and mix with honey and/or sugar in a double boiler. Stir and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into small glass containers. Cool and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate.

Precautions

It would be wise to use heavy gloves when harvesting the thorny rose. Pregnant women should not use essential oil of rose during the first four weeks of pregnancy .
Side effects

Some people may experience diarrhea or such allergic reactions as hives or throat swelling from large doses of rose hips. Patients who experience an allergic reaction should stop taking rose hips and contact their physician at once.
Interactions

No interactions with conventional prescription medications have been reported as of 2002.

[AntonioLao]

I'm just wondering whether Rose Hips and the other Vitamin C organic compounds are all isomers among themselves? Compounds with the same chemical formulas but different chemical structures which can have different physical and chemical properties. But only the real stuctural McKoy can treat RNA viral diseases.

[labelwench]

I'm just wondering whether Rose Hips and the other Vitamin C organic compounds are all isomers among themselves? Compounds with the same chemical formulas but different chemical structures which can have different physical and chemical properties. But only the real stuctural McKoy can treat RNA viral diseases.

Are you suggesting that CH2 is the 'Real McKoy', and that it would have to be isolated from any organic compound to be useful to treat RNA viral diseases?

What about preventing these diseases from occurring by including the complete organic compounds in the diet?

Perhaps the research needs to be done in both directions, as to my way of thinking, prevention is preferable to treatment.

Not as profitable for the industry of medicine, though.

[AntonioLao]

That is only an inference which must be hypothesis tested by experiments. You are spot on, prevention is still the best medicine.