The effects of biotin deficiency on maternal metabolism and embryonic development in pregnant mouse dams were studied. In the biotin-deficient group, the inhibition of embryonic development and external malformations such as cleft palate (100 %), micrognathia (100 %) and micromelia (91.4 %) were detected in embryos. Biotin excretion in urine was decreased on day 4 of gestation (dg) and subseque...

BACKGROUND Biotin has gained commercial popularity for its claimed benefits on healthy hair and nail growth. Despite its reputation, there is limited research to support the utility of biotin in healthy individuals. OBJECTIVE To systematically review the literature on biotin efficacy in hair and nail growth. METHODS We conducted a PubMed search of all case reports and randomized clinical tr...

Iron(III) complexes of curcumin (Hcur) having a tridentate NNN-donor dipicolylamine-based ligand L1 and its biotinylated analogue L2, namely, [Fe(L1)(cur)Cl] (1) [Fe(L2)(cur)Cl] (2), were prepared, characterized their photo-induced cytotoxicity studied. The exhibited curcumin-based absorption band near 430 nm emission maxima at 520 nm. Complex 2 with biotin moiety showed enhanced cellular uptak...

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that serum biotin concentration and biotin balance (consumed - [urinary output + fecal output]) measured as total avidin-binding substances (biotin + biotin metabolites) are responsive to changes in the proportions of dietary alfalfa meal and concentrate fed to sheep. Eight sheep (initial BW = 40 kg) consumed a pelleted alfalfa meal-based d...

BACKGROUND Biotin is an essential enzyme cofactor that acts as a CO2 carrier in carboxylation and decarboxylation reactions. The E. coli genome encodes a biosynthetic pathway that produces biotin from pimeloyl-CoA in four enzymatic steps. The final step, insertion of sulfur into desthiobiotin to form biotin, is catalyzed by the biotin synthase, BioB. A dedicated biotin ligase (BirA) catalyzes t...

Rodriguez-Melendez, Rocio, Gabriela Camporeale, Jacob B. Griffin, and Janos Zempleni. Interleukin-2 receptor-dependent endocytosis depends on biotin in Jurkat cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 284: C415–C421, 2003. First published October 16, 2002; 10.1152/ajpcell.00365.2002.— Biotin has been credited with having beneficial effects on immune function despite observations that biotin supplementat...

The vitamin biotin is an endogenous molecule that acts as an important cofactor for several carboxylases in the citric acid cycle. Disorders of biotin metabolism produce neurological symptoms that range from ataxia to sensory loss, suggesting the presence of biotin in specific functional systems of the CNS. Although biotin has been described in some cells of nonmammalian nervous systems, the di...

BACKGROUND Smoking accelerates the degradation of many nutrients, including lipids, antioxidants, and certain B vitamins. Accelerated biotin catabolism is of concern in women because marginal biotin deficiency is teratogenic in mammals. OBJECTIVE The objective was to assess the effect of smoking on the biotin status of women. DESIGN A preliminary study of 7 women and 3 men examined the urin...