phytotherapy 3

8/6/2019 phytotherapy 3

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LECTURE 2

VITAMINSVitamins are substances that your bodyneeds to grow and develop normally.There are 13 vitamins your body needs.

They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the Bvitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6,vitamin B-12 and folate). You can usuallyget all your vitamins from the foods youeat. Your body can also make vitamins Dand K. People who eat a vegetarian

diet may need to take a vitamin B12supplement.

Each vitamin has specific jobs. If youhave low levels of certain vitamins, youmay develop a deficiency disease. Forexample, if you don't get enough vitamin

D, you could develop rickets. Somevitamins may help prevent medicalproblems. Vitamin A prevents nightblindness.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vegetariandiet.htmlhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vegetariandiet.htmlhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vegetariandiet.htmlhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vegetariandiet.html


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The best way to get enough vitamins isto eat a balanced diet with a variety offoods. In some cases, you may need to

take a daily multivitamin for optimalhealth. However, high doses of somevitamins can make you sick.

What are vitamins?

Vitamins are natural substances found inplants and animals. Your body uses thesesubstances to stay healthy and support its

many functions. There are two types ofvitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble.

What are water-soluble vitamins?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ARS_copper_rich_foods.jpg


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Water-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed byyour body. Unlike fat-soluble vitamins, theydont have to be absorbed using bile acids

(fluids used to digest fats). Your body doesntstore large amounts of water-solublevitamins. The water-soluble vitamins youdont need are removed by your kidneys andcome out in your urine. Download the PDF filebelow for more about water-soluble vitamins.

What are fat-soluble vitamins?

Your body has to use bile acids to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Once these vitamins areabsorbed, your body stores them in body fat.When you need them, your body takes them

out of storage to be used. Download the PDFfile below for more information about fat-soluble vitamins. Eating fats or oils that arenot digested can cause shortages of fat-soluble vitamins. This includes using mineraloil frequently to treat constipation or eating

the fat substitute Olestra.


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Vitamins are classified by their biologicaland chemical activity, not their structure.

Thus, each "vitamin" may refer to

severalvitamercompounds that all show thebiological activity associated with a particularvitamin. Such a set of chemicals are groupedunder an alphabetized vitamin "genericdescriptor" title, such as "vitamin A," whichincludes the compounds retinal,retinol, andmany carotenoids.[4] Vitamers are often inter-converted in the body.

Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions,including function as hormones (e.g. vitaminD), antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E), andmediators of cell signaling and regulators ofcell and tissue growth and differentiation (e.g.

vitamin A).[5] The largest number of vitamins(e.g. B complex vitamins) function asprecursors for enzyme cofactorbio-molecules (coenzymes), that help actas catalysts and substrates in metabolism.When acting as part of a catalyst, vitamins

are bound to enzymes and arecalled prosthetic groups. Forexample, biotin is part of enzymes involved inmaking fatty acids. Vitamins also actascoenzymes to carry chemical groups
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormoneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofactor_(biochemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substrate_(chemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosthetic_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenoidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormoneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofactor_(biochemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substrate_(chemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosthetic_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymes


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between enzymes. For example, folicacid carries various forms of carbon group methyl, formyl and methylene - in the cell.

Although these roles in assisting enzymereactions are vitamins' best-known function,the other vitamin functions are equallyimportant.[6]

Until the 1900s, vitamins were obtained solelythrough food intake, and changes in diet

(which, for example, could occur during aparticular growing season) can alter the typesand amounts of vitamins ingested. Vitaminshave been produced ascommodity chemicals and made widelyavailable as inexpensive pills for severaldecades,[7] allowing supplementation of the

dietary intake.

History

The Ancient Egyptians knew that feeding a

patient liver (back, right) would help cure night

blindness.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemicalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Kirk-Othmer-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctalopiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctalopiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ARS_copper_rich_foods.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemicalshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Kirk-Othmer-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptianshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctalopiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyctalopia


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The value of eating a certain food to maintain

health was recognized long before vitamins

were identified. The ancientEgyptians knewthat feeding a patient liver would help

cure night blindness, an illness now known to be

caused by a vitamin A deficiency.[8] The

advancement of ocean voyage during

the Renaissance resulted in prolonged periods

without access to fresh fruits and vegetables,and made illnesses from vitamin deficiency

common among ship's crew.

In 1749, the ScottishsurgeonJames

Lind discovered that citrus foods helped

prevent scurvy, a particularly deadly disease inwhich collagen is not properly formed, causing

poor wound healing, bleeding of the gums,

severe pain, and death.[8] In 1753, Lind

published his Treatise on the Scurvy, which

recommended using lemons and limes to avoid

scurvy, which was adopted by the British Royal

Navy. This led to the nickname Limey for

sailors of that organization. Lind's discovery,

however, was not widely accepted by individuals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_blindnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lind_(physician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lind_(physician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collagenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limeyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_blindnesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lind_(physician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lind_(physician)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scurvyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collagenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingivahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limey


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in the Royal Navy's Arctic expeditions in the

19th century, where it was widely believed

that scurvy could be prevented by practicinggood hygiene, regular exercise, and by

maintaining the moraleof the crew while on

board, rather than by a diet of fresh food.[8] As a result, Arctic expeditions continued to

be plagued by scurvy and other deficiency

diseases. In the early 20th century,when Robert Falcon Scott made his two

expeditions to theAntarctic, the prevailing

medical theory was that scurvy was caused by

"tainted" canned food.[8]

In 1881, Russian surgeon Nikolai Lunin studiedthe effects of scurvy while at the University

of Tartu in present-day Estonia.[9] He

fed mice an artificial mixture of all the

separate constituents of milk known at that

time, namely the proteins,fats, carbohydrates,

and salts. The mice that received only the

individual constituents died, while the mice fed

by milk itself developed normally. He made a

conclusion that "a natural food such as milk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygienehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moralehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Falcon_Scotthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-nobel-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygienehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moralehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Falcon_Scotthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antarctichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canninghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-Challem-7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-nobel-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fathttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydratehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt


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must therefore contain, besides these known

principal ingredients, small quantities of

unknown substances essential tolife."[9] However, his conclusions were rejected

by other researchers when they were unable to

reproduce his results. One difference was that

he had used table sugar (sucrose), while other

researchers had used milk sugar (lactose) that

still contained small amounts of vitamin B.

The discovery of vitamins and theirsources

Year ofdiscove

ryVitamin Source

1909Vitamin A(Retinol)

Cod liver oil

1912VitaminB1 (Thiamine)

Rice bran
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-nobel-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Bhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiaminehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_branhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-nobel-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactosehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Bhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiaminehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_bran


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1912Vitamin C(Ascorbic acid)

Lemons

1918Vitamin D(Calciferol)

Cod liver oil

1920VitaminB2 (Riboflavin)

Eggs

1922Vitamin E(Tocopherol)

Wheat germoil, Cosmetic and Liver

1926

Vitamin

B12 (Cyanocobalamin) Liver

1929VitaminK(Phylloquinone)

Alfalfa

1931 VitaminB5 (Pantothenicacid)

Liver

1931 Vitamin B7 (Biotin) Liver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciferolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riboflavinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(food)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocopherolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_germ_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_germ_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Khttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Khttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciferolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riboflavinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_(food)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tocopherolhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_germ_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_germ_oilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetichttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_B12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Khttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_Khttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantothenic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver


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1934VitaminB6 (Pyridoxine) Rice bran

1936VitaminB3 (Niacin)

Liver

1941Vitamin B9 (Folicacid) Liver
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyridoxinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_branhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyridoxinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_branhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niacinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver


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VITAMIN B6


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Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions,including function as hormones (e.g. vitamin

D), antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E), andmediators of cell signaling and regulators ofcell and tissue growth and differentiation (e.g.vitamin A).[5] The largest number of vitamins(e.g. B complex vitamins) function asprecursors for enzyme cofactorbio-

molecules (coenzymes), that help actas catalysts and substrates in metabolism.When acting as part of a catalyst, vitaminsare bound to enzymes and arecalled prosthetic groups. For
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormoneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofactor_(biochemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substrate_(chemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosthetic_grouphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormoneshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioxidantshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin#cite_note-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofactor_(biochemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomoleculehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substrate_(chemistry)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzymehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosthetic_group


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example, biotin is part of enzymes involved inmaking fatty acids. Vitamins also actascoenzymes to carry chemical groups

between enzymes. For example, folicacid carries various forms of carbon group methyl, formyl and methylene - in the cell.Although these roles in assisting enzymereactions are vitamins' best-known function,the other vitamin functions are equallyimportant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylenehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biotinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coenzymeshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acidhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formylhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylene

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