388 Section 10/ Vitamins and Trace Elementsseborrhoea like lesions, mental confusion
and growth retardation.
It is indicated to prevent and treat
isoniazid, hydralazine, penicillamine
and cycloserine induced neurological dis-
turbances, mental symptoms in women
on oral contraceptives, pyridoxine re-
sponsive anaemia and homocystinuria,
morning sickness and hyperemesis
gravidarum, convulsions in infants and
children.
Dosage: Adults: 100 mg daily. In
suppression of lactation: 2 tablets thrice
daily followed by one tablet daily.
CYANOCOBALAMIN
(METHYLCOBALAMIN)
Methylcobalamin is the coenzyme
form of vitamin B 12. It is neurologically
active, most bioavailable and best uti-
lized. Unlike cyanocobalamin, it does
not require any conversion after ab-
sorption by the body and is better re-
tained by the liver and other tissues. It
has exhibited beneficial effects against
brain aging, irregular sleep patterns. It
supports immune function and pro-
mote normal cell growth. It represents
one of the best values in nutritional
products, given its comparably low
cost and its wide range of potential
benefits.
Methyl B 12 is the superior form of
vitamin B 12.
Deficiency symptoms are glossitis, GIT
disturbances, megaloblastic anaemia,
subacute combined degeneration of spinal
cord, peripheral neuritis, poor memory,
mood changes and hallucinations.
Clinical Applications
Bell’s palsy: It increases the recovery
time for facial nerve function in Bell’s palsy.
Cancer: Experimental studies indicate
that it inhibits the proliferation of malignant
cells.
Diabetic neuropathy: Oral administra-
tion of methylcobalamin (500 mcg three
times daily for four months) resulted in
subjective improvement in burning sensa-
tion, numbness, loss of sensation and
muscle cramps.
Immune system regulation: It has been
suggested that vitamin B 12 plays an
important role in immune system
regulation, but the details are still obscure.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Vitamin B 12 is a
potential agent in management of RA. It
mainly acts by correcting abnormalities in
RACD8+ T cells in autologous mixed
lymphocyte reaction (AMLR).
Eye function: It protects retinal neurons
against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor
mediated glutamate neurotoxicity.
Deterioration of accommodation following
visual work has also been shown to improve
in individuals receiving methylcobalamin.
Heart rate variability: Methylcobalamin
produces improvement in several components
of heart rate variability, suggesting a balancing
effect on the nervous system.
HIV: Under experimental conditions,
methylcobalamin inhibited HIV-1 infection
of normal human blood monocytes and
lymphocytes.
Homocysteinemia: Elevated levels of
homocysteine can be a metabolic indication
of decreased levels of the methylcobalamin
form of vitamin B 12.