This substance was isolated from red peppers and citrus fruits which was able to control hemorrhage in man and guinea pig. This compound proved to be different from ascorbic acid. It was designated vitamin P because it was thought to be involved in controlling the permeability of capillaries and was first isolated from paprika. Rutin, citrin, hesperidin, and esculin are compounds which possess vitamin P like properties. It is a water-soluble vitamin of much importance. The word P in this vitamin stands for permeability. It is actually partly composed from bioflavonoid. It can be measured in milligrams.
Vitamin P is naturally present in certain foods. These include blackberries, apples, citrus fruits, onion, cherries, red pepper, Brussels sprouts, quercetin from beans and apricots. Chocolates also found to contain it as a flavonoid is present in the cocoa.
Vitamin P promotes the Vitamin C use and intake in our body. It causes its prevention from the damage which might be caused by oxidation.
It provides resistance towards infections and enhances our immunity.
Vitamin P also controls the permeability of the capillaries of our body and thus causes them to be stronger and work more efficiently for a prolonged period of time.
Flavonoids can cause changes in the viruses, carcinogens and also acts as the response modifiers of the biological field.
These flavonoids also provide their important properties in the form of their ability to act as an anti-cancerous agent, antiallergic agents, antimicrobial agents, antidiarrheal as well as anti-inflammatory.
The most important activity noted by vitamin P (flavonoid) is that they provide their antioxidant properties to the body as well. It can be seen after ingesting foods containing flavonoid. It has also found that antioxidant activity of the vitamin P is stronger as compared to other antioxidants of the body such as vitamin C and vitamin E.
Vitamin P also helps to provide relief from the allergies, hypertension, ulcers and wound healing.
This vitamin also provides medicinal values as it can be used in patients with heart disease.
It is also found to act as a natural diuretic.
This vitamin is good for our skin. It keeps our skin fresh and healthy since it works with vitamin C as well. Both provide good effects to the skin.
Due to its deficiency in the body, capillaries of our blood system become weak and it is the earliest sign seen in case of vitamin P deficiency. There may occur epistaxis means bleeding from the nose. The person could not utilize the vitamin C properly also.
Vitamin P can be used in supplement form and is combined with multi-vitamins or other complex formulas and is used alone too. Although no exact dosage is recommended for this vitamin, a dose of 50mg can be used without any hazard effects.
The diets rich in this vitamin in pregnant women can result in the development of acute myeloid leukemia in her child. This is because flavonoid can inhibit topoisomerase and can result in a mutation in DNA.
Amna Sheikh is a medical doctor with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Bachelors in Economics and Statistics. She is also a medical writer working as a freelancer for 10+ years and she is specialized in medical, health, and pharmaceutical writing, regulatory writing & clinical research. All her work is supported by a strong academic and professional experience.