Ascorbic acid is a monosaccharide derivative and is structurally similar to glucose and other six-carbon monosaccharides. It is colorless, white, rectangular crystals. It has a very slight specific odor. It has a sour taste and reacts with acids. It is optically active. It rotates polarized light to the right. It is very soluble in acetone. It is insoluble in ether, petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, and oils. Chemically, vitamin C is the levorotatory enantiomer of ascorbic acid. Commercial vitamin C is generally composed of ascorbic acid crystals or its calcium or sodium salts. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is found in relatively high concentrations (millimolar and above) in the aqueous compartments of many animal tissues, such as the spinal cord, lungs, and eyes.

Precise measurement of vitamin C is essential for both its biochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. The role of ascorbic acid in biological systems, including the functions and requirements of vitamin C, must be considered in conjunction with two factors: First, the biochemical properties of vitamin C, including its ability to act as both an antioxidant and an enzyme cofactor. Second, its pharmacokinetics, which include intestinal absorption, serum concentration, cellular distribution, utilization, and excretion.

Ascorbic acid is found in all living tissues. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the richest sources of this vitamin, which is widely distributed in nature. Among the fruits that contain the most ascorbic acid, lemons, oranges, grapefruits, kiwis, pineapples, strawberries, and blackcurrants are the most abundant. Apples, pears, and plums contain relatively less ascorbic acid. Of these fruits, citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), kiwi, and the outer parts (peel) of tomatoes are especially rich in ascorbic acid.

Vegetables, especially rosehips, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, onions, peppers, radishes, cress, parsley, and Jerusalem artichokes, are the richest sources of ascorbic acid.

Askorbik asit bir monosakkarit türevi olup yapica glikoza ve diger alti karbonlu mono sakkaritlere benzer. Renksiz, beyaz, dikdörtgen kristallerdir. Çok hafif özel bir kokusu vardir. Eksi tatta ve asit reaksiyondadir. Optikçe aktiftir. Polarize isigi saga çevirir. Asetonda çok zor çözünür. Eter, petrol eteri, benzen, kloroform ve yaglarda çözünmez.C vitamini kimyasal olarak askorbik asidin isigi sola döndüren enantiyomeridir. Ticari C vitamini genelde askorbik asit kristallerinden veya askorbik asidin kalsiyum veya sodyum tuzlarindan olusmaktadir. C vitamini (askorbik asid) omurilik, akciger ve göz gibi pek çok hayvansal dokunun sulu bölümlerinde oldukça yüksek yogunlukta (milimolar ve üstü) bulunur.

C vitamininin kesin ölçümü hem onun biyokimyasal hem de farmakokinetik özellikleri için zorunludur. Biyolojik sistemlerde askorbik asidin rolü, C vitamininin fonksiyon ve gerekleri iki faktörle birlikte ele alinmalidir: Birincisi, C vitamininin hem antioksidan hem de bir enzim kofaktörü olarak hareket etme yetenegi dahil biyokimyasal özellikleridir. Ikincisi, bagirsakta emilmeyi, serum konsantrasyonunu, hücresel dagilimi, kullanim ve disari atilimini içeren farmakokinetigidir.

Askorbik asit bütün canli dokularda bulunur. Dogada çok yaygin sekilde bulunan bu vitaminin en zengin kaynaklarini taze meyve ve sebzeler olusturur. Meyveler arasinda en çok askorbik asit içerenler limon, portakal, greyfurt, kivi, ananas, çilek ve frenk üzümüdür. Elma, armut ve erik ise bunlara göre daha az miktarda askorbik asit içerir. Bu meyvelerden özellikle sitrus meyveleri (limon, portakal, greyfurt), kivi ve domatesin dis kisimlari (kabuk) askorbik asit bakimindan zengindir.

Sebzeler, özellikle kusburnu, karnabahar, lahana, ispanak, kuru sogan, biber, turp, tere, maydanoz ve yer elmasi askorbik asit bakimindan en zengin kaynaklardandir.