Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3
Vitamin B3 is niacin. Deficiency of niacin causes pellagra. Pellagra was known as the "disease of the four D's" — dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and death. The disease is specifically characterized by: Dermatitis: A rash on areas of the skin exposed to light or trauma and ulcerations within the mouth Diarrhea Dementia: Mental disorientation, confusion, delusions and depression Death, if untreated. Pellagra, once a puzzle, was solved by Joseph Goldberger (1874-1929). Serving in the Public Health Service, Dr. Goldberger proposed that pellagra was due to a nutritional deficiency and in 1915 began experiments with Mississippi prison inmates (who "volunteered" in return for full pardons). Dr. Goldberger fed them a poor diet he believed caused pellagra and within months, many developed the disease. Their symptoms of pellagra were reversed when meat, fresh vegetables and milk were added to their diet. Niacin, Dr. Goldberger subsequently showed, was the principle that had this remarkable effect. A readily-available B vitamin, niacin cures pellagra and prevents it. The name "pellagra" comes from the Italian "pelle", skin + "agra", rough = rough skin, referring to the skin problems in pellagra.

* * *

vitamin B3 -'bē-'thrē n NIACIN

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Vitamin K — has also been used as a slang term for ketamine, an unrelated anaesthetic. Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone). Both forms of the vitamin contain a functional naphthoquinone ring and an aliphatic side chain. Phylloquinone has a phytyl side chain …   Wikipedia

  • Vitamin D — is a group of fat soluble prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D2 (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (or cholecalciferol).cite web|url=http://dietary supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp|title=Dietary Supplement Fact… …   Wikipedia

  • Vitamin A — Systematic (IUPAC) name (2E,4E,6E,8E) 3,7 Dimethyl …   Wikipedia

  • Vitamin B6 — is a water soluble vitamin. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of amino acid metabolism, including transamination, deamination, and decarboxylation. PLP also is necessary for the enzymatic reaction… …   Wikipedia

  • Vitamin-B — ist eine Vitamin Gruppe, in der acht wasserlösliche Vitamine zusammengefasst sind, die alle als Vorstufen für Koenzyme dienen. Die Nummerierung ist nicht durchgehend, weil sich bei vielen Substanzen, die ursprünglich als Vitamine galten, der… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Vitamin B — ist eine Vitamin Gruppe, in der acht Vitamine zusammengefasst sind, die alle als Vorstufen für Koenzyme dienen. Die Nummerierung ist nicht durchgehend, weil sich bei vielen Substanzen, die ursprünglich als Vitamine galten, der Vitamin Charakter… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • vitamin K — n. a fat soluble vitamin, synthesized constantly by intestinal bacteria in mammals and occurring in certain green vegetables, fish meal, etc., that promotes blood clotting and is required for the synthesis of prothrombin by the liver: the two… …   Universalium

  • Vitamin A — is retinol. Carotene compounds (found, for example, in egg yolk, butter and cream) are gradually converted by the body to vitamin A (retinol). A form of vitamin A called retinal is responsible for transmitting light sensation in the retina of the …   Medical dictionary

  • Vitamin B1 — is thiamine. Vitamin B1 acts as a coenzyme in the metabolism of the body. Deficiency of thiamine leads to beriberi, a disease of the heart and nervous system. The word vitamin was coined in 1911 by the Warsaw born biochemist Casimir Funk (1884… …   Medical dictionary

  • Vitamin de — Beschreibung Deutschlernerzeitschrift Verlag NP PRESS.DE Erstausgabe 2002 Erscheinungsweise …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • vitamin de — Beschreibung Zeitschrift für junge Deutschlerner Verlag Verein vitamin de , NP PRESS.DE Erstausgabe 2002 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”