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Accepted manuscript

Biological properties of vitamins of the B-complex, part 2 – vitamins B6 and B7 (biotin, vitamin H)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 May 2025

Patrícia Dias
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Tomáš Siatka
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Marie Vopršalová
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Monika Moravcová
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Jana Pourová
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Nikola Přívratská
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Lenka Kujovská Krčmová
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Lenka Javorská
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Přemysl Mladěnka*
Affiliation:
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
*
*Correspondence to: Prof. Přemysl Mladěnka, PharmD., Ph.D. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University, Heyrovského 1203, 500 05 Hradec Králové, Czech Republic, Tel: +420 495 067 295, Fax: +420 495 067 170, email: mladenkap@faf.cuni.cz
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Abstract

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Vitamins B6 (i.e., pyridoxin and its analogues) and B7 (i.e., biotin or vitamin H) are essential molecules for many physiological processes. In addition to their well-known involvement in several enzymatic reactions, recent discoveries revealed their participation in other processes, e.g. in gene expression via epigenetic processes, including biotinylation of proteins in the case of biotin. Plants, fungi, archaea and most bacteria synthesize both vitamins, whereas animals and humans lack enzymes for their biosynthesis and depend on their exogenous supply. At least in case of biotin, human gastrointestinal microbiota can likely partly satisfy the need. Both vitamins are water soluble and require a transporter for efficient absorption after oral administration; they can be rapidly excreted, hence being considered largely non-toxic. In addition to physiological and kinetic aspects of vitamins B6 and biotin, this review, which is based on a search in PubMed up to 2023, covers sources of these vitamins, the impact of food treatment on their content, causes and symptoms of deficiency and specific mutations related to their function. Currently available literature on the analytical determination of these vitamins in biological fluids, possible pharmacological uses, and symptoms of toxicity, although rare, are also included.

Information

Type
Review Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society