HomeRoot Gatherersvol. 4 no. 1 (2013)

Comparative Study on the Percentage Content of Synthetic and Herbal Supplements of Vitamin C Available in Davao City

Donnah D. Nahial | Chresyl C. Alinsasaguin | Jenny R. Edulan | Arie Mae E. Radaza | Liza A. Tomimbang

 

Abstract:

One of the vitamins that the human body significantly need is ascorbic acid, commonly known by its biologically active form, as Vitamin C. The study sought to obtain the percentage content analysis of Vitamin C supplements available in the market today. This includes the range of synthetic and herbal Vitamin C supplements. In so doing, the researchers proposed to broaden the knowledge on informed use of Vitamin C supplements. The researchers employed the alkaline cupric tartrate test to collect the Vitamin C and the iodimetric titration to further determine the percentage content of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) based on the United States of Pharmacopeia/National Formulary (USP/ NF) method. Essentially, the percentage content analyses obtained from the sampled synthetic and herbal Vitamin C supplements do not conform with the USP standards. Most of the obtained results for percentage content of Vitamin C supplement both for synthetic (Class X) and herbal (Class Y) fall below the USP reference standard for Vitamin C (99-100.5). Necessary recommendations were then formulated after the findings of this study.