Blood preservation XLIV. 2,3-DPG maintenance by dehydroascorbate better than D-ascorbic acid.

A study was designed to compare the effects of D-ascorbate and dehydroascorbate on red blood cell metabolism during blood storage. Dehydroascorbate increased red blood cell concentrations of 2,3-DPG such that the levels are above normal for four weeks and normal at six weeks of storage. In contrast, there is a gradual decrease in 2,3-DPG levels with D-ascorbate such that the levels are approximately 80 per cent of normal after six weeks. ATP levels were adversely effected such that the worst levels were produced by 10 and 5 mM dehydroascorbate, with 10 mM having a more adversive effect than 5 mM. Intermediate levels of ATP were produced by D-ascorbate, with the 10 mM concentration. The control CPD-adenine preservative maintained near normal ATP levels for the entire six-week storage period. pH values were initially slightly lower with dehydroascorbate compared to the other preservatives early in storage, the difference being slightly over 0.1 pH units.