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Method of
Action
Pantothenic acid is a simple chemical
which contains alanine. In the body, it couples with a sulfur-containing
compound to form pantothenine. The addition of a phosphate group and adenine
molecule results in the formation of coenzyme A (CoA).
Pantothenic acid, by virtue of being the
precursor of CoA, is directly involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates,
proteins, and lipids, and plays a role in all the energy-requiring processes of
the body.
Pantothenic acid makes possible the
biosynthesis of fatty acids, phospholipids, cholesterol, and steroid hormones.
A deficiency may cause adrenal cortex insufficiency or even necrosis.
Pantothenic acid, through CoA, fuels the
metabolism of porphyrin and therefore controls the formation of hemoglobin.
Pantothenic acid is responsible for the
production of isoprene units, the basic building blocks of fat soluble
vitamins.
The synthesis of niacin from its precursor
tryptophan is facilitated by pantothenic acid in conjunction with biotin.
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