Vitamin physiology

Coenzyme/ Cofactor Type of Binding Derived from Vitamin Physiologic Function... 

A large number of selenium derivatives such as the selenium analog of vitamin B] have been tested for physiological activity (91). 

Another physiologically important quinone is vitamin K Here K stands for koag ulation (Danish) because this substance was first identified as essential for the normal clotting of blood... 

Bde salts, cholesterol, phosphoHpids, and other minor components are secreted by the Hver. Bile salts serve three significant physiological functions. The hydrophilic carboxylate group, which is attached via an alkyl chain to the hydrophobic steroid skeleton, allows the bile salts to form water-soluble micelles with cholesterol and phosphoHpids in the bile. These micelles assist in the solvation of cholesterol. By solvating cholesterol, bile salts contribute to the homeostatic regulation of the amount of cholesterol in the whole body. Bile salts are also necessary for the intestinal absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins (24—26). 

Christiaan Eijkman medicine, physiology discovery of antineuritic vitamins... 

Albert Szent-Gynrgyi medicine, physiology discoveries ia connection with biological combustion processes, with special reference to vitamin C and catalysis of fumaric acid... 

The possibility that vitamins might have physiological functions beyond the prevention of deficiency diseases was first recognized in 1955 with the finding (8) that niacin can affect semm cholesterol levels in humans. An explosion of research (9—11) in the intervening years has been aimed at estabUshing optimal vitamin levels and anticipating the health consequences. 

Physiological functions as well as clinical symptoms that occur in humans deficient in specific vitamins are given in Table 6. It is becoming more authenticated that vitamins have additional potential health benefits when adrninistered, via the diet or by supplementation, at levels above those required for obviating deficiency. Although for most vitamins the optimal levels are not yet estabUshed, some of the potential health benefits to be derived from vitamins are indicated (16). In one case, the level of scientific proof is such that the U.S. FDA has allowed "a health cl aim that women who are capable of... 

The reversible oxidation of L-ascorbic acid to dehydro-L-ascorbic acid is the basis for its known physiological activities, stabiUties, and technical apphcations (2). The importance of vitamin C in nutrition and the maintenance of good health is well documented. Over 22,000 references relating only to L-ascorbic acid have appeared since 1966. 

Mobilization and Metabolism. The total ascorbic acid body pool in healthy adults has been estimated to be approximately 1.5 g, which increases to 2.3—2.8 g with intakes of 200 mg/d (151—158). Depletion of the body pool to 600 mg initiates physiological changes, and signs of clinical scurvy are reported when the body pool falls below 300 mg (149). Approximately 3—4% of the body pool turns over daily, representing 40—60 mg/d of metabolized, or consumed, vitamin C. Smokers have a higher metaboHc turnover rate of vitamin C (approximately 100 mg/d) and a lower body pool than nonsmokers, unless compensated through increased daily intakes of vitamin C (159). The metaboHsm of ascorbic acid varies among different species. 

P-Hydroxy steroids which contain the 5,7-diene system and can be activated with uv light to produce vitamin D compounds are called provitamins. The two most important provitamins are ergosterol (1) and 7-dehydrocholesterol (3). They are produced in plants and animals, respectively, and 7-dehydrocholesterol is produced synthetically on a commercial scale. Small amounts of hydroxylated detivatives of the provitamins have been synthesized in efforts to prepare the metaboHtes of vitamin D, but these products do not occur naturally. The provitamins do not possess physiological activities, with the exception that provitamin D is found in the skin of animals and acts as a precursor to vitamin D, and synthetic dihydroxalated... 

The biologically active form of vitamin Bg is pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PEP), a coenzyme that exists under physiological conditions in two tautomeric forms (Figure 18.25). PLP participates in the catalysis of a wide variety of reactions involving amino acids, including transaminations, a- and /3-decarboxylations, /3- and ") eliminations, racemizations, and aldol reactions (Figure 18.26). Note that these reactions include cleavage of any of the bonds to the amino acid alpha carbon, as well as several bonds in the side chain. The remarkably versatile chemistry of PLP is due to its ability to... 

FIGURE 18.30 The physiological effects of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are the result of its action as a reducing agent. A two-electron oxidation of ascorbic acid yields dehy-droascorbic acid. 

PTH is the most important regulator of bone remodelling and calcium homeostasis. PTH is an 84-amino acid polypeptide and is secreted by the parathyroid glands in response to reductions in blood levels of ionised calcium. The primary physiological effect of PTH is to increase serum calcium. To this aim, PTH acts on the kidney to decrease urine calcium, increase mine phosphate, and increase the conversion of 25-OH-vitamin D to l,25-(OH)2-vitamin D. PTH acts on bone acutely to increase bone resorption and thus release skeletal calcium into the circulation. However, due to the coupling of bone resorption and bone formation, the longer-term effect of increased PTH secretion is to increase both bone resorption and bone formation. 

The most important physiological role of CODH in the metabolism of acetogenic bacteria was unknown until 1985, when it was shown that the enzyme is bifunctional and has acetyl-CoA synthase activity (121). It was previously thought that acetyl-CoA was synthesized at the cobalt center of a vitamin-Bi2-containing protein. In the same paper, it was proposed that nickel is the active site of CO oxidation and acetyl-CoA synthesis. 

Muscle phosphorylase is distinct from that of Hver. It is a dimer, each monomer containing 1 mol of pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin Bg). It is present in two forms phos-phoiylase a, which is phosphorylated and active in either the presence or absence of 5 -AMP (its allosteric modifier) and phosphorylase h, which is dephosphorylated and active only in the presence of 5 -AMP. This occurs during exercise when the level of 5 -AMP rises, providing, by this mechanism, fuel for the muscle. Phosphorylase a is the normal physiologically active form of the enzyme. 

Besides water, the diet must provide metabolic fuels (mainly carbohydrates and lipids), protein (for growth and turnover of tissue proteins), fiber (for roughage), minerals (elements with specific metabolic functions), and vitamins and essential fatty acids (organic compounds needed in small amounts for essential metabolic and physiologic functions). The polysaccharides, tri-acylglycerols, and proteins that make up the bulk of the diet must be hydrolyzed to their constituent monosaccharides, fatty acids, and amino acids, respectively, before absorption and utilization. Minerals and vitamins must be released from the complex matrix of food before they can be absorbed and utifized. 

The 25-OH-D Is further metabolized In the kidney to 1,25 dlhydroxycholecalclferol (1,25(OH)2D) which Is considered to be the major physiologically Important, tissue-active metabolite of vitamin D. It circulates In extremely low concentrations (< 100 pg/ml of serum). Assay of 1,25(OH)2D Is extremely tedious. It Is done by competitive binding technique using a combined Intestinal cell cytosol and chromatin binding system, biosynthetic 3h-1,25(OH)2D3 as labeled ligand and synthetic 1,25(0H)2D3 as standard (31). 

Vitamin C occurs as L-ascorbic acid and dihydroascorbic acid in fruits, vegetables and potatoes, as well as in processed foods to which it has been added as an antioxidant. The only wholly undisputed function of vitamin C is the prevention of scurvy. Although this is the physiological rationale for the currently recommended intake levels, there is growing evidence that vitamin C may provide additional protective effects against other diseases including cancer, and the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) may be increased in the near future. Scurvy develops in adults whose habitual intake of vitamin C falls below 1 mg/d, and under experimental conditions 10 mg/d is sufficient to prevent or alleviate symptoms (Bartley et al., 1953). The RDA is 60 mg per day in the USA, but plasma levels of ascorbate do not achieve saturation until daily intakes reach around 100 mg (Bates et al., 1979). Most of the ascorbate in human diets is derived from natural sources, and consumers who eat five portions, or about 400-500 g, of fruits and vegetables per day could obtain as much as 200 mg of ascorbate. 

LEKLEM j E (1998) Vitamin B6 functions in humans. In Clinical and physiological application of vitamin B6. Eds Eeklem, J E, Reynolds, New York Liss, 297-320. 

Another point is the concentration of the antioxidant which, in order to have physiological relevance, should be in the physiological range, i.e., not above 1 to 5 aM. Finally, when evaluating antioxidant capacities of foods and food extracts, one should take into account the presence of all the possible antioxidant molecules (phenols, vitamin E, etc.) to explain the results because interactions can occur between antioxidant molecules. 

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