Vitamin C [Ascorbic acid]

Oral administration- For the prevention of scurvy: 1 tablet daily For the treatment of scurvy: 1-2 tablets daily; but dose may be increased depending on the severity of the condition. For the reduction of risk of stroke in the elderly: 1-2 tablets daily. In other cases: 1 tablet daily or as directed by the physician. Maximum safe dose is 2000 mg daily in divided doses. Parenteral administration- Vitamin C is usually administered orally. When oral administration is not feasible or when malabsorption is suspected, the drug may be administered IM, IV, or subcutaneously. When given parenterally, utilization of the vitamin reportedly is best after IM administration and that is the preferred parenteral route. For intravenous injection, dilution into a large volume parenteral such as Normal Saline, Water for Injection, or Glucose is recommended to minimize the adverse reactions associated with intravenous injection. The average protective dose of vitamin C for adults is 70 to 150 mg daily. In the presence of scurvy, doses of 300 mg to 1 g daily are recommended. However, as much as 6 g has been administered parenterally to normal adults without evidence of toxicity. To enhance wound healing, doses of 300 to 500 mg daily for a week or ten days both preoperatively and postoperatively are generally considered adequate, although considerably larger amounts have been recommended. In the treatment of burns, doses are governed by the extent of tissue injury. For severe burns, daily doses of 1 to 2 g are recommended. In other conditions in which the need for vitamin C is increased, three to five times the daily optimum allowances appear to be adequate. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever the solution and container permit.