nicotinic acid

views updated May 18 2018

nic·o·tin·ic ac·id / ˌnikəˈtinik; -ˈtēnik/ • n. Biochem. a vitamin of the B complex, (C5H4N)COOH, that is widely distributed in foods such as milk, wheat germ, and meat, and can be synthesized in the body from tryptophan. Its deficiency causes pellagra.DERIVATIVES: nic·o·tin·ate / -ˈtēˌnāt/ n.

nicotinic acid

views updated May 21 2018

nicotinic acid (niacin) A vitamin of the vitamin B complex. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. The amide derivative, nicotinamide, is a component of the coenzymes NAD and NADP. These take part in many metabolic reactions as hydrogen acceptors. Deficiency of nicotinic acid causes the disease pellagra in humans. Apart from tryptophan-rich protein, good sources are liver and groundnut and sunflower meals.

nicotinic acid

views updated May 14 2018

nicotinic acid (niacin) (nik-ŏ-tin-ik) n. a B vitamin. Nicotinic acid is required in the diet but can also be formed in small amounts in the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan. A deficiency of the vitamin leads to pellagra. Good sources of nicotinic acid are meat, yeast extracts, and pulses. A preparation of nicotinic acid (Niaspan) is used as a lipid-lowering drug when statins alone do not provide adequate control of blood lipid levels.

nicotinic acid

views updated Jun 08 2018

nicotinic acid (niacin) One of the B vitamins. It is unique among this group in that it is synthesized by animal tissues, from tryptophan. A deficiency of this vitamin results in the disease pellagra.

nicotinic acid

views updated Jun 11 2018

nicotinic acid One of the vitamers of niacin.