VITAMINA D3

OVERVIEW
o
o

Chemical formula: C27H44O

Synonyms:
calciol
CC
cholecalciferol
colecalciferol
delta-D
This compound belongs to the
class of organic compounds
known as triterpenoids. These
are terpene molecules
containing 8 isoprene units.

Colecalciferol

THE ROLE OF VITAMIN D3 IN THE HUMAN BODY:

o

Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is a steroid hormone that

has long been known for its important role in regulating
body levels of calcium and phosphorus, in mineralization
of bone, and for the assimilation of Vitamin A.
The classical manifestations of vitamin D deficiency is
rickets, which is seen in children and results in bony
deformaties including bowed long bones. Deficiency in
adults leads to the disease osteomalacia. Both rickets and
osteomalacia reflect impaired mineralization of newly
synthesized bone matrix, and usually result from a
combination of inadequate exposure to sunlight and
decreased dietary intake of vitamin D.

METABOLISM
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Within the liver,

cholecalciferal is
hydroxylated to calcidiol
(25hydroxycholecalciferol)
by the enzyme 25hydroxylase.
Within the kidney,
calcidiol serves as a
substrate for 1-alphahydroxylase, yielding
calcitriol (1,25dihydroxycholecalciferol
), the biologically active
form of vitamin D3.

Calcitriol

EXPERIMENTAL PROPERTIES
State:solid
Melting point:84.5 C
Water solubility:insoluble
LogP:7.5
Light brown resin
Soluble in acetone, chloroform, and fatty oils

THE EQUIVALENT OF VITAMIN D3

,VITAMIN D2 OR CALCIFEROL

Vitamins D(2) and D(3) are generally considered to be

equivalent in humans,but they are not.
Are studies that demonstrares the big difference
betweene the activity of those two very important
vitamins.

The relative potencies of

vitamins D(2) and D(3)
were evaluated by
administering single doses
of 50,000 IU of the
respective calciferols to 20
healthy male volunteers,
following the time course
of serum vitamin D and 25hydroxyvitamin D
(25OHD) over a period of
28 d and measuring the area
under the curve of the rise
in 25OHD above baseline.

Calciferol

Both produced similar initial rises in serum 25OHD over the

first 3 d, but 25OHD continued to rise in the D(3)-treated
subjects, peaking at 14 d, whereas serum 25OHD fell rapidly
in the D(2)-treated subjects and was not different from
baseline at 14 d. Area under the curve (AUC) to d 28 was
60.2 ng.d/ml (150.5 nmol.d/liter) for vitamin D(2) and 204.7
(511.8) for vitamin D(3) (P < 0.002).

Physicians resorting to use of vitamin D(2) should be aware

of its markedly lower potency and shorter duration of action
relative to vitamin D(3).

Authors:
Creighton University, 601 North 30th Street, Suite 4841,
Omaha, Nebraska 68131, USA.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
PubMed
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15531486
Press.endocrine
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Farmchemicalsinternationals
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http://www.farmchemicalsinternational.com/crop-protection-database/#//produc
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DrugBank
http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00169
http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB001 36
PubChem