Effect of thiamine hydrochloride on the stability of solutions of crystalline vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 in Foods, Food Supplements, and Medicines-A Review of Its Role and Properties with a Focus on Its Stability

Vitamin B₁₂, also known as the anti-pernicious anemia factor, is an essential micronutrient totally dependent on dietary sources that is commonly integrated with food supplements. Four vitamin B₁₂ forms-cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, 5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, and methylcobalamin-are currently used for supplementation and, here, we provide an overview of their biochemical role, bioavailability, and efficacy in different dosage forms. Since the effective quantity of vitamin B₁₂ depends on the stability of the different forms, we further provide a review of their main reactivity and stability under exposure to various environmental factors (e.g., temperature, pH, light) and the presence of some typical interacting compounds (oxidants, reductants, and other water-soluble vitamins). Further, we explore how the manufacturing process and storage affect B₁₂ stability in foods, food supplements, and medicines and provide a summary of the data published to date on the content-related quality of vitamin B₁₂ products on the market. We also provide an overview of the approaches toward their stabilization, including minimization of the destabilizing factors, addition of proper stabilizers, or application of some (innovative) technological processes that could be implemented and contribute to the production of high-quality vitamin B₁₂ products.

Vitamins in cell culture media: Stability and stabilization strategies

Nowadays, chemically defined cell culture media (CCM) have replaced serum- and hydrolysate-based media that rely on complex ingredients, such as yeast extracts or peptones. Benefits include a significantly lower lot-to-lot variability, more efficient manufacturing by reduction to essential components, and the ability to exclude components that may negatively influence growth, viability, or productivity. Even though current chemically defined CCMs provide an excellent basis for various mammalian biotechnological processes, vitamin instabilities are known to be a key factor contributing to the variabilities still present in liquid CCM as well as to short storage times. In this review, the chemical degradation pathways and products for the most relevant vitamins for CCM will be discussed, with a focus on the effects of light, oxygen, heat, and other CCM compounds. Different approaches to stabilize vitamins in solution, such as replacement with analogs, encapsulation, or the addition of stabilizing compounds will also be reviewed. While these vitamins and vitamin stabilization approaches are presented here as particular for CCM, the application of these concepts can also be considered relevant for pharmaceutical, medical, and food supplement purposes. More precise knowledge regarding vitamin instabilities will contribute to stabilize future formulations and thus decrease residual lot-to-lot variability.

Effects of formulation variables and storage conditions on light protected vitamin B12 mixed parenteral formulations

PURPOSE

In this research the effect of vitamin B1 and B6 on cyanocobalamin stability in commercial light protected parenteral formulations and upon adding stabilizing agents will be investigated and best formulation composition and proper storage condition will be introduced.

METHODS

In this research some additives such as co solvents and tonicity adjusters, surfactants, antioxidants and chelating agents as well as buffer solutions, were used to improve the stability of the parenteral mixed formulations of B12 in the presence of other B vitamins (B1 and B6). Screening tests and accelerated stability tests were performed according to ICH guidelines Q1A (R2).

RESULTS

Shelf life evaluation revealed the best formulation and the proper storage condition. The results indicated the first kinetic models for all tested formulations and the optimum pH value was determined to be 5.8. There was no evidence of B12 loss when mixed with B1 and B6 in a medical syringe at room temperature for maximum of 8 hours.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to formulate vitamin B12 mixed parenteral solutions using proper phosphate buffers (pH=5.8) and to indicate "Store in refrigerator" on the mixed parenteral formulations of vitamin B12 with other B vitamins, which has not been expressed on the label of tested Brand formulations at the time of this study.

Stability of Vitamin B12

The decomposition products of aneurine in solution at pH 8.0 and aneurine and nicotinamide at pH 4–4.5 destroy vitamin B12 activity. Ferric chloride has a protective effect. The decomposition products have reducing properties, and it is thought that these are responsible for the loss of B12 activity. Solutions containing the reducing substances heated to dryness and redissolved lost the ability to destroy the vitamin. Cysteine and H2S are shown to destroy the activity of vitamin B12, and again ferric chloride offers protection.

The Stability of Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 has been found to deteriorate progressively in association with aneurine and nicotinamide in solution over a pH range of 4 to 4·5. The deterioration can be satisfactorily prevented by the use of iron salts, in ferrous, ferric and complex form. Salts of cobalt, manganese, copper and lead do not protect the vitamin from the combined destructive influence of aneurine and nicotinamide in solution.

Chemical interactions between additives in foodstuffs: a review

This paper critically reviews the key literature on food additive-additive chemical interactions published over the last 30 years together with appropriate relevant information on food additive-food component interactions. Five main classes of food additive are included, reflecting the research effort to date: the sulfur (IV) species of preservatives, synthetic food colouring materials, nitrate and nitrite, ascorbic acid, and sorbic acid. Within each class, aspects of the chemistry (reactivity), functionality, stability, use and reactions with other specific food additives are reviewed. Where appropriate, the importance of interactions of food additives with other components of food (i.e. nutrients and non-nutrients) has been assessed and certain aspects of toxicology included. The practical outcome of this review is presented as a set of recommendations for future research in this area. The use of the data in this review is proposed as a training set to develop the framework into a diagnostic tool. This might be used ultimately for the development of a multilevel framework, operating systematically, to understand the important parameters that dictate the outcome of additive interactions.

Hydrolytic destruction of thiamine, especially in the presence of cyanocobalamin

The hydrolytic destruction of thiamine hydrochloride in various buffer solutions at pH 4.5 at 100° has been investigated. The rate of hydrolysis approximated to that of a first order reaction, the salts of weak organic acids acting as catalysts so that buffer salts could not retard the decomposition. It was confirmed that the hydrolytic products of thiamine affect the stability of cyanocobalamin, and that low concentrations of ferric ions can protect cyanocobalamin against the effects of thiamine breakdown products, but this occurs without appreciably affecting the stability of thiamine itself.