Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Abstrait

Commentary on the Phototoxicity and Absorption of Vitamin B2 and Its Degradation Product, Lumichrome

Katsuhito Kino, Akira Nakatsuma, Hiromi Nochi, Yoshimitsu Kiriyama, Takuro Kurita, Takanobu Kobayashi and Hiroshi Miyazawa

In this commentary, we present two views related to the study of riboflavin (vitamin B2): (i) future research into the photo toxicity of riboflavin and its photo-degradation product, lumichrome, should consider effects under visible light and ultraviolet (UV) light in skin because the photochemistry of these reactions differ; and (ii) future research should consider the possibility that excess lumichrome, which is metabolized from riboflavin by intestinal bacteria and is much less water-soluble than riboflavin, could be more readily absorbed and lead to symptoms that resemble those of fat-soluble vitamins.