Vitamin D
Agent Name
Vitamin D
CAS Number
1406-16-2
Formula
Unspecified
Major Category
Biological Agents
Synonyms
Activated ergosterol; [ChemIDplus]
Category
Vitamins and Derivatives
Sources/Uses
"A vitamin that includes both CHOLECALCIFEROLS and ERGOCALCIFEROLS, which have the common effect of preventing or curing RICKETS in animals. It can also be viewed as a hormone since it can be formed in SKIN by action of ULTRAVIOLET RAYS upon the precursors, 7-dehydrocholesterol and ERGOSTEROL, and acts on VITAMIN D RECEPTORS to regulate CALCIUM in opposition to PARATHYROID HORMONE." [ChemIDplus] Used as a nutritional supplement; [FDA]
Comments
Excessive, chronic ingestion can lead to hypercalcemia (weakness, altered mental status, GI symptoms, kidney injury, and possibly cardiac arrhythmias); Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D may useful in diagnosis; [Olson, p. 446-7]
Biomedical References
Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent
Other Information
No other related information on this agent was found.