Pharmacological Uses of Pantothenic Acid

Some of the side effects of valproate administration to young children to control seizures (ketosis emd liver deunage) are associated with sequestration of CoA as valproyl CoA, which is poorly metabolized, emd the administration of pemtothenate supplements (generally together with ceunitine Section 14.1) prevents depletion of CoA emd reduces the risk of liver damage (Thurston emd Hauhart, 1992). In the same way, pemtothenate supplements protect mice agetinst neured tube defects caused by vedproate (Sato et al., 1995). 

Ptmtothenic acid seems to have very low toxicity. Intakes of up to 10 g of ctdcium pemtothenate per day (compeued with a normed dieteuy inteike of 2 to 7 mg per day) have been given for up to 6 weeks, with no appeuent ill effects. 

Begley TP, Kinsland C, and Strauss E (2001) The biosynthesis of coenzyme A in bacteria. lA tamins and Hormones 61, 157-71. 

Piesofsky-Vig N and Brambl R (1988) Pantothenic acid and coenzyme A in cellular modification of proteins. Annual Reviews of Nutrition 8, 461-82. 

Tahiiiani AG and Beiniich CJ (1991) Pantothenic acid in health and disease. Vitamins and Hormones 46, 165-228. 

Fibroblasts in culture undergo faster proliferation and migration when the concentration of pantothenic acid is high, and this has led to the topical use ofpantothenol in skin disorders and wound healing. There is no evidence that oral supplements have any effect on wound healing (Vaxman etal., 1995,1996 Egger et al., 1999 Weimann and Hermann, 1999 Ebner et al., 2002). 

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