Pharmacological Effects of Biotin in Animals.
In recent decades, it was found that vitamins affect biological functions in ways other than their long-known functions; niacin is the best example of a water-soluble vitamin known to possess multiple actions. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H, is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that serves as a covalently-bound coenzyme of carboxylases. It is now well documented that biotin has actions other than participating in classical enzyme catalysis reactions. Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that pharmacological concentrations of biotin affect glucose and lipid metabolism, hypertension, reproduction, development, and immunity. The effect of biotin on these functions is related to its actions at the transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels. The bestsupported mechanism involved in the genetic effects of biotin is the soluble guanylate cyclase/protein kinase G (PKG) signaling cascade. Although there are commercially-available products containing pharmacological concentrations of biotin, the toxic effects of biotin have been poorly studied. This review summarizes the known actions and molecular mechanisms of pharmacological doses of biotin in animals and current information regarding biotin toxicity.
Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Secretaría de Salud. Mexico.
Leticia
L
Riveron-Negrete
Unidad de Genética de la Nutrición, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México/ Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Av. del Iman #1, 4º piso, Mexico City, CP 04530. Mexico.
Cristina
C
Fernandez-Mejia
D000818:Animals; D001710:Biotin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*
D001710:Biotin; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D005947:Glucose
Biotin toxicity; biotin; gene expression; guanylate cyclase; histone biotinylation; pharmacological effects