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Medical Definition of L-gulonolactone
1. The immediate precursor of ascorbic acid in those animals capable of ascorbic acid biosynthesis. Synonym: dihydroascorbic acid, l-gulono-gamma-lactone. L-gulonolactone oxidase, the enzyme catalyzing the conversion of l-gulonolactone and O2 to H2O2 and l-xylo-hexulonolactone, a precursor of ascorbic acid; absent in primates. (05 Mar 2000)