Effect of castration on the metabolism of L-ascorbic acid in rat prostate.

An appreciable decrease in the contents of prostatic ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid along with an increase in diketogulonic acid was seen in rats ten days after castration. Castration caused a decrease in the activities of such biosynthetic enzymes as L-gulono-gamma-lactone oxidase and D-glucuronolactone-delta-hydrolase with no significant alteration in the activity of L-gulono-gamma-lactone hydrolase in the rat prostate. The activity of dehydroascorbatase, one of the degrading enzymes was, however, found to be elevated in castration. The implication of these results has been discussed.