242 



VITAMINS 



been encountered in various animals include a type of anemia and fits 

 resembling epileptic seizures in human beings. Pyridoxine deficiency in 

 man has been observed in a number of cases of pellagrins who still were 

 not completely well after receiving nicotinic acid, thiamine and riboflavin. 

 Symptoms noted in such patients were nervousness, irritability, abdominal 

 pain, weakness, and difficulty in walking. These symptoms were quickly 

 relieved by the use of synthetic pyridoxine. 



Chemical nature 



Pyridoxine, or vitamin Be, was first isolated as a pure chemical sub- 

 stance in 1938, and during the next year it was prepared synthetically. 



('ouite.sy of MeiL'k & Co., Inc. 

 Fig. 9-12. Pyridoxine. 



The chemical nature of this vitamin is best expressed by its structural 

 formula: 



CH2OH 



I 



II (2) (6) I 



CH3— C^(i)^CH 



Pyridoxine, CsHuNOa 



Note that it is related to nicotinic acid in that it is a pyridine derivative. 

 The name pyridoxine is derived from the chemical name for this substance, 



