VITAMINS- Defn.
• A group of organic nutrients required in small
quantities for a variety of biochemical
functions.
• Cannot generally be synthesised in the body
• Must be supplied from diet.
FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS
A,D,E,K
Fat soluble vitamins
(Lipid-soluble, apolar, hydrophobic)
• Derivitives of isoprene molecule
• Cannot be synthesised by the body in
adequate amounts – must be supplied from
diet
• Absorbed efficiently when normal fat
absorption is taking place.
• Once in blood, transported to destination like
other lipids.
Isoprene structure
Functions of fat soluble vitamins
• Vit A-useful for good vision
• Vit D- useful for calcium and phosphate
metabolism in the body
• Vit E- useful as an antioxidant
• Vit K- useful for blood clotting
Biomedical(clinical) importance
• Vit A- deficiency leads to night blindness and
xerophthalmia
• Vit D- deficiency leads to rickets in young
children and osteomalacia(loss of bone mass)
in adults
• Vit E- deficiency (very rare) leads to neurologic
disorders and anaemia especially in newborn.
• Vit K- Deficiency (rare) leads to bleeding and
hamorrhage in new born
Vitamin A
• Structure- Cyclohexenyl ring
- Isoprenoid compound
-Stored as retinol esters in the liver
-Other derivatives of retinol are
-retinal
-retinoic acid
-Retinoids are both natural and synthetic analogs of
retinol e.g.
- retinaldehyde
Vitamin A-cont’d
Vitamin D
• Not strictly a vitamin but considered a
hormone. Because it can be synthesised in the
skin. This is its major source.
• Only when sunlight is inadequate is dietary
source required.
Vitamin D- functions
• Regulation of calcium absorption and
homeostasis.
• Actions mediated by way of nuclear receptors
that regulate gene expression
Vit D- Deficiency
• Rickets in children
• Osteomalacia in adults.
Vit D deficiency (L) & 14 months
after treatment (R)
Vitamin D- Synthesis
• Occurs in the skin
• A)7-Dehydrocholesterol b) pre-vitamin D
c)Cholecalciferol d) Calcidiol(25-hydroxy
cholecalciferol)
e)Calcitriol (1,25-hydroxycholecalciferol)
f)(24-hydroxycalcidiol-inactive)
g)Calcitetetrol-(active)
7-dehydrocholesterol to pre vit D3
(Liver)
Pre vit D3 to vit D3 (isomerization)
Vit D3 to 25-hydroxycholecalceferol
(calciol)
Kidney
• Calcidiol ----- 24-hydroxycalcidiol (inactive)
• Calcitriol ------ Calcitetetrol (Active)
Vitamin D-regulation
• Regulated by calcium homeostasis i.e. vit. D
metabolism is regulated by factors that
respond to plasma concentrations of calcium
and phosphate
• Deficiency- i. Rickets in children ii.
Osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin E.
• Does not have any defined metabolic function.
• But acts as a lipid soluble anti-oxidant in cell
membrane.
• Two classes occur: i. Tocopherols ii. Tocotrienols
• Structure:
2 hexyl rings and isoprenoid compound. The
compound has three double bonds in
Tocotrienols.
Tocopherol
Tocotrienol
Vit E, Cont’d
• [Link]-tocopherol and tocotrienol
R1 & R2 are all-CH3 groups
• 2. In Beta tocopherol R2 is –H group
• 3. In gama tocopherol R1 is –H group
• 4. In delta tocopherol R1 &R2 are both –H
group.
• D-alpha tocopherol is the most active
vitaminer with biologic activity.
Vitamin E-functions
• Chain breaking, free radical trapping
antioxidant in cell membranes and plasma
lipoproteins.
Functions of Vit E
• Vitamin E is one of the most important and
efficient antioxidants for the human body.
• The cells in a human body are constantly being
bombarded by free radicals generated through
metabolism and exposure to the sun’s rays,
environmental pollution, cigarette smoke and
chemicals.
• Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals and
limit the damage to healthy body cells.
• Currently, the most common form of Vitamin
E available in health supplements is alpha-
tocopherol.
• However, alpha-tocotrienol is 40-60 times
more potent than alpha-tocopherol as an
antioxidant.
Deficiency:
• Unknown in humans but can occur due to
malarbsorption resulting from various
illnesses such as cystic fibrosis.
Vitamin K
• Structure:
Three compounds with biologic activity of Vit.
K.
i. Phylloquinone(normal- green vegetables)
2-Hexyl rings and isoprenoid tail of N=3 length
ii. Menaquinones (intestinal flora)
2-Hexyl rings with N=infinity isoprenoid chain.
Phylloquinone
Menaquinone
Vit K, Cont’d
iii. Menadione (2-Hexyl rings), menadiol (2-hexyl
rings) & menadiol acetate ( 2- hexyl rings with
2 acetate attached).
Functions:
Co- factor to carboxylase enzyme that acts on
glutamate residues of clotting factor precursor
proteins. This enables the proteins to chelate
calcium.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
• Water soluble antioxidant whose function is
to maintain Vit E and many metal cofactors in
the reduced state.
• Structure:
3 forms occur
i. Ascorbate
[Link]
iii. Dehydroascorbate
Ascorbic acid
Dehydro-ascorbic acid
Vitamin C- deficiency
• Causes scurvy.( skin changes, frigility of blood
capillaries, gum decay, tooth loss and bone
fructure) due to deficient collagen synthesis.
• Evidence is unconvincing that high doses of vit
C prevent common cold or reduce the
duration of symptoms.
