Cefalexin, also spelled cephalexin, is an antibiotic that can treat a number of bacterial infections. It kills gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria by disrupting the growth of the bacterial cell wall. Cefalexin is a beta-lactam antibiotic within the class of first-generation cephalosporins. It works similarly to other agents within this class, including intravenous cefazolin, but […]

In chemistry, the sulfonamide functional group (also spelt sulphonamide) is -S(=O)2-NH2, a sulfonyl group connected to an amine group. Relatively speaking this group is unreactive. The amine center is no longer basic. The S-N bond is cleaved only with difficulty. Because of the rigidity of the functional group, sulfonamides are typically crystalline. For this reason, […]

Vitamin D refers to a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate, and zinc. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D3 (also known as cholecalciferol) and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). Cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol can be ingested from the diet and from supplements. Very few […]

Quinolinic acid is a naturally occurring toxin in the central nervous system believed to play a role in AIDS dementia complex. A metabolite of tryptophan with a possible role in neurodegenerative disorders. Elevated csf levels of quinolinic acid are significantly correlated with the severity of neuropsychological deficits in patients who have aids.

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in three major chemical forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. Vitamin B6 is needed for more than 100 enzymes involved in protein metabolism. It is also essential for red blood cell metabolism. The nervous and immune systems need Vitamin B6 to function efficiently and it is also needed […]

Pyridoxal is one of the three natural forms of vitamin B6, along with pyridoxamine and pyridoxine (also called “pyridoxol”). All of these forms are converted in the human body into a single biologically active form, pyridoxal 5-phosphate. All three forms of vitamin B6 are heterocyclic organic compounds. Green plants are a natural source of pyridoxal, […]

Picolinic acid, an isomer of nicotinic acid, is a six-membered ring structure compound composed of five carbon atoms and a nitrogen which replace one carbon-hydrogen unit in the benzene ring, plus a carboxyl side chain at 2-position (nicotinic acid has a carboxyl side chain at 3-position). It acts as a chelating agent of elements such […]

Phytanic acid (or 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl hexadecanoic acid) is a branched chain fatty acid that humans can obtain through the consumption of dairy products, ruminant animal fats, and certain fish. Western diets are estimated to provide 50-100 mg of phytanic acid per day. In a study conducted in Oxford, individuals who consumed meat had, on average, a […]

Phenylalanine is the most commonly found aromatic, essential amino acid. In a normal individual it is converted to tyrosine, which in turn is used to synthesise dopamine and norepinephrine (nerurotransmitters). Phenylalanine takes three differnt forms; L-, D-and DL-. The L-form is the most common and the type in which it is incorporated into the body”s […]