Vitamin B2: Riboflavin
摘要
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is one of eight B vitamins that make up the B complex. Like all B vitamins, it is water-soluble and thus vitamin B2 concentration in the body is highly dependent upon an individual’s intake. Riboflavin was first discovered in 1872 by Alexander Winter Blyth, who isolated it from milk [1]. Its chemical structure, a ribitol sugar molecule attached to a dimethylisoallozine ring, was determined by scientists Richard Kuhn and Paul Karer in the 1930s [1]. Riboflavin is converted to flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN), two cofactors which are crucial for a multitude of reactions within the body. These include reactions crucial for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the electron transport chain and elimination of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species [2].