Vitamins
Vitamins are organic compounds that are needed in small amounts to sustain life. Most vitamins need to come from food.The vitamin are classified according to solubility vitamins A,D,E,F and K or fat soluble and vitamin A and C are water soluble.
Different vitamins have different roles and they are needed in different amounts or quantities.
Types of vitamins
Vitamins A
Vitamin A is complex primary alcohal and empirical formula is ( C20H20OH) and it has two farm vitamin A1 or retinol and vitamin A2 or dehydroretinol. Vitamin A is found in butter, eggs, cheese, carrot, and green vegetables. In plant materials it occurs as Beta-carotene ( pro-vitamin A) which split and yield retinol. In animals the deficiency cause retarted growth and eye disease called Xerophtalmia.
Vitamin A combined with certain protein in the cell. It also involve in biosynthesis of mucopoly sachrides. Its role in electron transport system. The role of vitamin A in the vertebrates as vision. The retinol rod cell of vertebrate eye contain photo receptive pigment called rhodopsin. It is made up of a protein opsin and tightly bound. The light rhodopsin is regenerate by enzyme called retinal isomerase.
Vitamin B
Thaimine is crystalline compound which is soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol. The good source are cereals, legumes, bey and nuts. The deficiency cause growth in young animal and Beri-Beri in human being.
Vitamin B2
It is orange yellow and water soluble crystalline compound. It is destroyed by light. In nature it occurs as flavin adenine nucleotide or flavoproteins. The source are milk and leafly vegetables and deficiency cause skin disease.
Vitamin B3
It is synthesized in some plants and bacteria. The important source are milk, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, pea nuts etc. The deficiency cause dermatitis in chick and graying of hair in rat.
Vitamin B5
It occurs as white needle like crystals. It occurs in liver, meat, fish and eggs. It deficiency cause palagrab.
Vitamin B6
It exist in aldehyde and amine form. It is sensitive to heat and ultraviolet radiation. The good source are egg yolk, meat, fish, cereals, legume and cabbage.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a crucial vitamin. And it is needed for brain function and production of red blood cells. Deficiency of vitamin B12 causes neurological difficulties and anemia.Vitamin C
It is soluble in water but insoluble in fat and oil. The best source are citrus fruit and also found in green peppers, spinach, cabbage, potato etc. Its deficiency cause scurvy disease.
Vitamin D
The best source of vitamin D is fish liver oil and its deficiency causes rickets which affect development of bone.
Vitamin E
The best source of vitamin E is spinach, maize ion, peanut etc. Its deficiency cause is unknown in man but in rat damage reproductive system in both male and female.
