Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a key role in normal brain and nervous system function and blood formation. It was first discovered in the late 1920s as the substance that cured pernicious anemia. Vitamin B12 exists in several forms including cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin. It is produced through fermentation by microorganisms but not by plants or animals. Good dietary sources include meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia and neurological problems if left untreated.

1. VITAMIN B12
Submitted To:
Dr. Ayesha Mohyuddin
Submitted By:
Shakeel Ahmad Khan (14003140007)
Programme: MS (Chemistry)
Department of Chemistry
University of Management and Technology
Lahore
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2. LIST OF CONTENTS
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 Introduction
 History Milestone
 Structure of Vitamin B12
 Types of Vitamin B12
 Synthesis and its Industrial Production
 Sources of vitamin B12
 Applications of Vitamin B12
 Recommended intake
 Deficiency of Vitamin B12
 References

3. INTRODUCTION
 Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also
called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in
the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and
for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins.

4. HISTORICAL MILESTONE
 George Whipple
B12, was first discovered by him.
 George Richards Minot and William Murphy
They also found that an entirely different liver substance cured
pernicious anemia in humans which was B12 Vitamin.

5. HISTORICAL MILESTONE
 Edwin Cohn
Chemist Edwin Cohn prepared a liver extract The extract was the
first workable treatment for the disease. Whipple, Minot, and
Murphy shared the 1934 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
o Maryland, Mary Shaw Shorb
Shorb and his colleagues was isolated pure B12 in 1948. For this
discovery, in 1949, Mary, Shorb and Karl Folkers received the
Mead Johnson Award from the American Society of Nutritional
Sciences.

6. STRUCTURE OF VITAMIN B12
 The chemical structure of the molecule was determined
by Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin and her team in 1956, based on
crystallographic data.
Vitamin B12

7. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
 Vitamin B12 is very stable at high temperatures just if pH is
ranged from 4.5 to 5.0 while the strong acidic and highly alkaline
environment loses its vitamin activity.
 This vitamin is rapidly degraded in the light, and therefore it is
necessary to keep it in the dark. Vitamin B12 is negatively
affected by alcohol, sleeping pills, estrogen, etc.
 Vitamin B12 is well soluble in water, ethanol and methanol.
 B12 are all deeply red colored crystals and water
solutions, due to the color of the cobalt-corrin
complex.

8. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
 Under the term vitamin B12 several compounds that are similar in
chemical structure are included. There are classified:
cyanocobalamin, oxycobalamin, nitrocobalamin, aquacobalamin,
etc.
 In the structure of the vitamin B12 element cobalt is included. In
the isolation of vitamin B12, we can get its cyanocobalamin,
derivative in which structure enters cyanide group, linked to an
atom of cobalt.
Cyanocobalamine

9. TYPES OF VITAMIN B12
 Cyanocobalamin
Pure cyanocobalamin possesses the deep pink color associated
with most octahedral cobalt(II) complexes and It is used to
treat pernicious anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency.
Cyanocobalamin

10. TYPES OF VITAMIN B12
 Hydroxocobalamin
Hydroxocobalamin is sometimes denoted by B12a. It has an avid
affinity for cyanide ion and has been used as an antidote to
cyanide poisoning. It is supplied typically in water solution for
injection.
Hydroxocobalamin

11. TYPES OF VITAMIN B12
 Methylcobalamin
Methylcobalamin (mecobalamin, MeCbl, or MeB12) is
a cobalamin, a form of vitamin B12. It differs
from cyanocobalamin in that the cyanide is replaced by a methyl
group. Used in the treatment of perpheral neuropathy.
Methylcobalamin

12. SYNTHESIS COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION
 Neither plants nor animals are independently capable of
constructing vitamin B12 because of lack of enzymes required
for its biosynthesis.
 Enzymes are methionine synthase, methylmalonyl CoA
mutase.
 Industrial production of B12 is through fermentation of selected
microorganisms.
 Selected Microorganism are,
Acetobacterium, Aerobacter, Agrobacterium, Alcaligenes,
Azotobacter, Bacillus, Clostridium,Corynebacterium, Flavo
bacterium, Lactobacillus, Micromonospora, Mycobacteriu
m, Nocardia, Propionibacterium,Protaminobacter, Proteus,
Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Salmonella, Serratia, Streptom
yces, Streptococcus and Xanthomonas.

13. SOURCES OF VITAMIN B12

14. SOURCES OF VITAMIN B12
 FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
B12 IN LIQUID FORM B12 IN PILL FORM

16. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 Act as an antidote for Cyanide poisoning:
Cyanokit contains hydroxocobalamin, a form of vitamin B-12. It is used as
an antidote to cyanide poisoning. Hydroxocobalamin works by helping
cells in the body convert cyanide to a form that can be removed from the
body through urination.
Commercially available Antidote of Vitamin B12

17. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 Regulates the over-production of the allergen antibody IgE
in allergic individuals:
Allergic Effected Body

18. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 Responsible for Reducing depression:
vitamin B12 works together with a compound that produces serotonin –
thus reducing the incidence of depression. This is very helpful to the
elderly, whose production of serotonin is typically low.
Depressed person
o Vitamin B12 is also used in the treatment of Anemia
disease:

19. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 Helps in healthy regulation of the Homocysteine Control:
Elevated homocysteine is a risk factor for heart disease and may
adversely affect the cardiovascular system, brain function,
neurotransmitter function and mood balance.
 Helps to protect against cancers including breast, colon,
lung, and prostate cancer.

20. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 In the treatment of Pernicious Anemia:
 Essential for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Helps in cell
reproduction and constant renewal of the skin.

21. APPLICATIONS OF VITAMIN B12
 Responsible for reducing brain shrinkage:
B12 Vitamins dramatically lower homocysteine, a risk factor for brain
shrinkage.
Brain Shrinkage

22. DIETARY RECOMMENDED INTAKE

23. VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY

24. REFERENCES
 Yamada, K., 2013. Chapter 9. Cobalt: it’s Role in Health and
Disease. In Astrid Sigel, Helmut Sigel and Roland K. O. Sigel.
Interrelations between Essential Metal Ions and Human Diseases.
Metal Ions in Life Sciences, Springer, 13, 295–320.
 National Institutes of Health (NIH), 2011. Dietary Supplement Fact
Sheet, Vitamin B12.
 Shorb, M.S., (2012). Annual Lecture, Department of Animal &
Avian Sciences, University.
 Kirkland, K., 2010. Biological Sciences, Notable Research and
Discoveries. Facts on File, Inc. ISBN 0816074399. pp. 87.
 Jaouen, G., Beck, W. and. McGlinchey, M. J., 2006.
Bioorganometallics: Biomolecules, Labeling, Medicine. Weinheim:
Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3-527-30990-X. pp. 18.
 Herbert, V., 1988. Vitamin B-12: plant sources, requirements, and
assay. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 48, 852–858.

25. REFERENCES
 Institute of Medicine (IM), 2012. Vitamin B12. Dietary Reference
Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate,
Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline, ISBN 0-309-
06554-2, 340–342.
 Vitamin B12, usda.gov
 Sethi, N.K., Robilotti, E. and Sadan, Y., 2005. Neurological
Manifestations of Vitamin B-12 Deficiency. The Internet Journal
of Nutrition and Wellness 2 (1)
 Masalha, R., Chudakov, B., Muhamad, M., Rudoy, I., Volkov, I.
and Wirguin, I., 2001. Cobalamin-responsive psychosis as the sole
manifestation of vitamin B12 deficiency. Israeli Medical
Association JournaIl, 3, 701–703.
 International Vegetarian Union (IVU). B12, An essential part of a
healthy plant-based diet.

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