Supplementary vitamin C does not accelerate bone healing in a rat tibia fracture model

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of ascorbic acid supplementation on bone healing after rat tibia fracture. METHODS Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into Vitamin C (Group A) and sham (Group B) groups (15 rats each). Group A received 200 mg intraperitoneally per kg per day of ascorbic acid and Group B was given saline 5 ml per kg per day intraperitoneally once a day. The animals were caged in pairs and allowed free access to tap water and a standard rodent chow ad libitum. Fractures were produced manually, they were not stabilized, and unprotected weight-bearing was allowed. At two, four, and six weeks post-fracture, the rats in both groups were anesthetized and sacrificed by cervical dislocation. Callus tissue was dissected, prepared, and analyzed histologically. Histomorphological analysis was performed at six weeks post-fracture and the extent of fracture healing was determined using a five-point scale. RESULTS There were no histological and histomorphological differences between drug-treated animals and the sham in the three different stages studied. By six weeks post-fracture, the five animals of each group had a complete bone union. CONCLUSION Under the studied conditions, intraperitoneal Vitamin C supplementation does not accelerate the fracture healing process after experimental tibia fracture in rats. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 2, individual study with experimental design.