Niacinamide or Nicotinamide (NAM) is a form of vitamin B₃ found in food and used as a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources or that are synthetic in order ...

and medication. As a supplement, it is used by mouth to prevent and treat pellagra (niacin deficiency). While

nicotinic acid Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...

(niacin) may be used for this purpose, niacinamide has the benefit of not causing

skin flushing Flushing is to become markedly red in the face and often other areas of the skin, from various physiological conditions. Flushing is generally distinguished, despite a close physiological relation between them, from blushing, which is milder, ge ...

. As a cream, it is used to treat

acne Acne, also known as ''acne vulgaris'', is a long-term Cutaneous condition, skin condition that occurs when Keratinocyte, dead skin cells and Sebum, oil from the skin clog hair follicles. Typical features of the condition include comedo, black ...

. It is a water-soluble vitamin. Niacinamide is the supplement name while Nicotinamide (NAM) is the scientific name. Side effects are minimal. At high doses liver problems may occur. Normal amounts are safe for use during

pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ca ...

. Niacinamide is in the vitamin B family of medications, specifically the vitamin B₃ complex. It is an

amide In organic chemistry, an amide, also known as an organic amide or a carboxamide, is a compound with the general formula , where R, R', and R″ represent organic groups or hydrogen atoms. The amide group is called a peptide bond when it is ...

of nicotinic acid. Foods that contain niacinamide include

yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

, milk, and

green vegetables Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gr ...

. Niacinamide was discovered between 1935 and 1937. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Niacinamide is available as a

generic medication A generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that contains the same chemical substance as a drug that was originally protected by chemical patents. Generic drugs are allowed for sale after the patents on the original drugs expire. Because the active ch ...

and over the counter. Commercially, niacinamide is made from either

(niacin) or

nicotinonitrile Nicotinonitrile or 3-cyanopyridine is an organic compound with the formula NCC5H4N. The molecule consists of a pyridine ring with a nitrile group attached to the 3-position. A colorless solid, it is produced by ammoxidation of 3-methylpyridine: ...

. In a number of countries grains have niacinamide added to them.

Medical uses

Niacin deficiency

Niacinamide is the preferred treatment for pellagra, caused by niacin deficiency. while

niacin Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...

may be used, niacinamide has the benefit of not causing

Acne

Niacinamide

cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this process ...

is used as a treatment for

. It has anti-inflammatory actions, which may benefit people with inflammatory skin conditions. Niacinamide increases the biosynthesis of ceramides in human keratinocytes in vitro and improves the epidermal permeability barrier in vivo. The application of 2% topical niacinamide for 2 and 4 weeks has been found to be effective in lowering the

sebum A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. In humans, sebaceous glands occur in the greatest nu ...

excretion rate. Niacinamide has been shown to prevent '' Cutibacterium acnes''-induced activation of toll-like receptor 2, which ultimately results in the down-regulation of pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 production. Other skin benefits from topical niacinamide may include relief to a stripped moisture barrier in the skin, reduced irritation, increase of

collagen Collagen () is the main structural protein in the extracellular matrix found in the body's various connective tissues. As the main component of connective tissue, it is the most abundant protein in mammals, making up from 25% to 35% of the whole ...

production, and the lessening of

hyperpigmentation Hyperpigmentation is the darkening of an area of skin or nails caused by increased melanin. Causes Hyperpigmentation can be caused by sun damage, inflammation, or other skin injuries, including those related to acne vulgaris.James, William; Ber ...

in one's skin.

Skin cancer

Niacinamide at doses of 500 to 1000 mg a day decreases the risk of skin cancers, other than

melanoma Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...

, in those at high risk.

Side effects

Niacinamide has minimal side effects. At very high doses above 3g/ day

acute liver toxicity Acute may refer to: Science and technology * Acute angle ** Acute triangle ** Acute, a leaf shape in the glossary of leaf morphology * Acute (medicine), a disease that it is of short duration and of recent onset. ** Acute toxicity, the adverse ef ...

has been documented in at least one case. Normal doses are safe during

Chemistry

The structure of nicotinamide consists of a

pyridine Pyridine is a basic heterocyclic organic compound with the chemical formula . It is structurally related to benzene, with one methine group replaced by a nitrogen atom. It is a highly flammable, weakly alkaline, water-miscible liquid with a d ...

ring to which a

primary amide In organic chemistry, an amide, also known as an organic amide or a carboxamide, is a compound with the general formula , where R, R', and R″ represent organic groups or hydrogen atoms. The amide group is called a peptide bond when it is ...

group is attached in the ''meta'' position. It is an

of nicotinic acid. As an

aromatic compound Aromatic compounds, also known as "mono- and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons", are organic compounds containing one or more aromatic rings. The parent member of aromatic compounds is benzene. The word "aromatic" originates from the past grouping ...

, it undergoes

electrophilic substitution Electrophilic substitution reactions are chemical reactions in which an electrophile displaces a functional group in a compound, which is typically, but not always, aromatic. Aromatic substitution reactions are characteristic of aromatic compounds ...

reactions and transformations of its two

functional group In organic chemistry, a functional group is a substituent or moiety in a molecule that causes the molecule's characteristic chemical reactions. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reactions regardless of the rest ...

s. Examples of these reactions reported in ''

Organic Syntheses ''Organic Syntheses'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1921. It publishes detailed and checked procedures for the synthesis of organic compounds. A unique feature of the review process is that all of the data and ex ...

'' include the preparation of 2-chloronicotinonitrile by a two-step process via the ''N''-oxide, : Nicotinamide to 2-chloronicotinonitrile

from

by reaction with phosphorus pentoxide, and from

3-aminopyridine 3-Aminopyridine is an aminopyridine. It is a colorless solid. Preparation 3-Aminopyridine is prepared by heating nicotinamide with sodium hypobromite which is in turn prepared ''in situ'' by the reaction of sodium hydroxide and bromine at 70& ...

by reaction with a solution of

sodium hypobromite Sodium hypobromite is the inorganic compound with the formula NaBrO. It is usually obtained as the pentahydrate, so the material that is usually called sodium hypobromite has the formula NaOBr • 5H2O. It is a yellow-orange solid tha ...

, prepared ''in situ'' from

bromine Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table (halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simila ...

and

sodium hydroxide Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula NaOH. It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions . Sodium hydroxide is a highly caustic base and alkali ...

Industrial production

The hydrolysis of

is catalysed by the enzyme

nitrile hydratase Nitrile hydratases (NHases; ) are mononuclear iron or non-corrinoid cobalt enzymes that catalyse the hydration of diverse nitriles to their corresponding amides R-C≡N + H2O → R-C(O)NH2 Metal cofactor In biochemistry, cobalt is in general ...

from '' Rhodococcus rhodochrous'' J1, producing 3500 tons per annum of nicotinamide for use in animal feed. The enzyme allows for a more selective synthesis as further hydrolysis of the amide to

is avoided. Nicotinamide can also be made from nicotinic acid. According to ''

Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry ''Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry'' is a major reference work related to industrial chemistry by Chemist Fritz Ullmann, first published in 1914, and exclusively in German as "Enzyklopädie der Technischen Chemie" until 1984. Hist ...

'', worldwide 31,000 tons of nicotinamide were sold in 2014.

Biochemistry

Nicotinamide, as a part of the cofactor

nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a coenzyme central to metabolism. Found in all living cells, NAD is called a dinucleotide because it consists of two nucleotides joined through their phosphate groups. One nucleotide contains an aden ...

(NADH / NAD⁺) is crucial to life. In cells, nicotinamide is incorporated into NAD⁺ and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP⁺). NAD⁺ and NADP⁺ are cofactors in a wide variety of enzymatic

oxidation-reduction Redox (reduction–oxidation, , ) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is the gain of electrons or a d ...

reactions, most notably

glycolysis Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvate (). The free energy released in this process is used to form the high-energy molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH ...

, the

citric acid cycle The citric acid cycle (CAC)—also known as the Krebs cycle or the TCA cycle (tricarboxylic acid cycle)—is a series of chemical reactions to release stored energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins ...

, and the

electron transport chain An electron transport chain (ETC) is a series of protein complexes and other molecules that transfer electrons from electron donors to electron acceptors via redox reactions (both reduction and oxidation occurring simultaneously) and couples th ...

. If humans ingest nicotinamide, it will likely undergo a series of reactions that transform it into NAD, which can then undergo a transformation to form NADP⁺. This method of creation of NAD⁺ is called a

salvage pathway A salvage pathway is a Metabolic pathway, pathway in which a biological product is produced from intermediates in the degradative pathway of its own or a similar substance. The term often refers to nucleotide salvage in particular, in which nucleoti ...

. However, the human body can produce NAD⁺ from the amino acid

tryptophan Tryptophan (symbol Trp or W) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Tryptophan contains an α-amino group, an α- carboxylic acid group, and a side chain indole, making it a polar molecule with a non-polar aromatic ...

and niacin without our ingestion of nicotinamide. NAD⁺ acts as an electron carrier that helps with the interconversion of energy between nutrients and the cell's energy currency,

adenosine triphosphate Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an organic compound that provides energy to drive many processes in living cells, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, condensate dissolution, and chemical synthesis. Found in all known forms of ...

(ATP). In oxidation-reduction reactions, the active part of the cofactor is the nicotinamide. In NAD⁺, the nitrogen in the aromatic nicotinamide ring is covalently bonded to adenine dinucleotide. The formal charge on the nitrogen is stabilized by the shared electrons of the other carbon atoms in the aromatic ring. When a hydride atom is added onto NAD⁺ to form NADH, the molecule loses its aromaticity, and therefore a good amount of stability. This higher energy product later releases its energy with the release of a hydride, and in the case of the electron transport chain, it assists in forming

. When one mole of NADH is oxidized, 158.2 kJ of energy will be released.

Biological role

Nicotinamide occurs as a component of a variety of biological systems, including within the vitamin B family and specifically the vitamin B₃ complex. It is also a critically important part of the structures of NADH and NAD⁺, where the ''N''-substituted aromatic ring in the oxidised NAD⁺ form undergoes reduction with hydride attack to form NADH. The NADPH/NADP⁺ structures have the same ring, and are involved in similar biochemical reactions. Nicotinamide can be methylated in the liver to biologically active 1-Methylnicotinamide when there's sufficient methyl donors.

Food sources

Niacinamide occurs in trace amounts mainly in meat, fish, nuts, and mushrooms, as well as to a lesser extent in some vegetables. It is commonly added to cereals and other foods. Many multivitamins contain 20–30 mg of vitamin B₃ and it is also available in higher doses.

Compendial status

* British Pharmacopoeia * Japanese Pharmacopoeia

Research

A 2015 trial found niacinamide to reduce the rate of new nonmelanoma skin cancers and actinic keratoses in a group of people at high risk for the conditions. Niacinamide has been investigated for many additional disorders, including treatment of bullous pemphigoid nonmelanoma skin cancers. Niacinamide may be beneficial in treating psoriasis. There is tentative evidence for a potential role of niacinamide in treating acne, rosacea, autoimmune blistering disorders, ageing skin, and atopic dermatitis. Niacinamide also inhibits poly(ADP-ribose)

polymerase A polymerase is an enzyme ( EC 2.7.7.6/7/19/48/49) that synthesizes long chains of polymers or nucleic acids. DNA polymerase and RNA polymerase are used to assemble DNA and RNA molecules, respectively, by copying a DNA template strand using base- ...

s (

PARP-1 Poly DP-ribosepolymerase 1 (PARP-1) also known as NAD+ ADP-ribosyltransferase 1 or poly DP-ribosesynthase 1 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''PARP1'' gene. It is the most abundant of the PARP family of enzymes, accounting for 90% o ...

), enzymes involved in the rejoining of DNA strand breaks induced by radiation or chemotherapy. ARCON (accelerated radiotherapy plus carbogen inhalation and nicotinamide) has been studied in cancer. Research has suggested niacinamide may play a role in the treatment of

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of ''Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immune ...

References

External links

* * {{Authority control B vitamins CYP2D6 inhibitors CYP3A4 inhibitors GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators GPER agonists World Health Organization essential medicines Wikipedia medicine articles ready to translate