Definition

Vitamin A is a collective group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds. It includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, provitamin A carotenoids, and beta carotene. These compounds are gradually converted to Vitamin A, once consumed by the body, and are responsible for the optimal functioning of transmitting light sensation in the retina of the eye, a hormone-like growth factor that supports the epithelial cells helps form and maintains healthy teeth, soft tissues and skeleton, and mucus membranes. Vitamin A is found in two forms in our diet system- Preformed Vitamin A (found in animal products such as meat, fish, and poultry) and Provitamin A (found in plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables). (1)(2)(3)

Chemical and Physical Features

• CAS number: 68-26-8 (2)

• Molecular Structure: (4)

• Molecular Formula: C20H30O (2)

• Weight: 286.45g/mol (2)

• Appearance:  

Vitamin A is found in food sources in the form of eggs, meat, fortified milk, cheese, cream, liver-kidney, cod, halibut fish oil, deep colored fruits, and vegetables.

Vitamin A, in the supplement form, is yellow crystalline or orange solid form. (3)(5)

• Other Physical Features: 

• Most of the Vitamin A compounds are fat-soluble vitamins. The oil solutions of the compounds are quite stable and exhibit fluorescent properties.

• Vitamin A is sensitive to light, air, and heat, and hence, needs to be stored well to increase life, stability, and efficiency. It reacts with strong oxidizing agents. It is more stable in alkaline solutions than in acidic solutions.

• Vitamin A is practically water-insoluble, though one compound (Beta Carotene) is slightly water-soluble. (5)

• Brand Names 

• Capsules- Acvit, Aquasol A, Mixcarotin, Vitamin A

• Tablets- Geglee, VA, Vitamin A, Vitriv A

• Injections- Aquasol A

• Lotions- Lipo (skin)

• Drops- Arovit, Vitamin A

• Syrup- Vitamin A, Vitamin AO

• Other common brand names are Retinoid, Retinol Palmitate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin A1, Vitamin A2, Vitamine A, Vitamina A, Vitamine A2, Vitamine A1, Vitamine Liposoluble, Vitaminum A, Oleovitamin A. (6)

Vitamin A forms and specifications

• Vitamin A API Powder 

Vitamin A API powder is generally soluble in water. Vitamin A Acetate 250 CWS is an example of cold-water-soluble powder form. It can be readily used by dissolving in water to apply to the face for desired results. (7)

• Vitamin A Acetate Powder

Vitamin A Acetate is generally referred to as Retinyl Acetate and it exhibits antineoplastic and chemopreventive activities. It belongs to a class of compounds called retinoids, which can be administered orally and topically. (8)(9)

• Vitamin A  palmitate powder (Retinyl palmitate)

Retinyl Palmitate is formed from the mixture of retinol and palmitic acid. It is stored in large amounts in animals, in the form of Vitamin A. It acts as an intraocular treatment for dry eyes and should be taken in prescribed quantities, as overdosing can cause adverse effects. (10)

• Vitamin A  oil

Vitamin A oil has several benefits when applied to the skin including combating acne, improving the skin tone by minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, fighting signs of UV damage and sunspots. It also helps in healing wounds. (11)

• Vitamin A tablets

Vitamin A tablets come in chewable forms and can also be taken with water. These are dietary supplements, which fill the Vitamin A deficiency in our body. They boost our immune system, promote cell growth and improve vision and skin health. (12)

• Vitamin A Palmitate

Vitamin A Palmitate is a Vitamin A supplement that is available in both oral and injectable forms. It is used in treating Vitamin A deficiency. It is often used with other vitamins as multivitamin tablets. In its natural form, it is found in egg yolk, fish, liver, cheese, and milk products. (10)(13)

Vitamin A Mechanism of action

• Vision- Vitamin A is also called the all-trans-retinol. This is converted in the retina to 11-cis-retinal, which is required in the transduction of light, which in turn signals vision through nerves. As 11-cis-retinal gets attached to opsin in rhodopsin, it is isomerized to all-trans-retinal by light. This is the moment when the brain sends signals to perceive the image through light. Once the function is achieved, all-trans-retinal is released from opsin and becomes all-trans-retinol again. This is again isomerized to 11-cis-retinol in the dark and further oxidized to 11-cis-retinal, which combines with opsin to form rhodopsin. In the case of Vitamin A deficiency, rapid synthesis of 11-cis-retinal fails and causes vision blindness or defects.

• Epithelial Differentiation and physiological processes- In this case, Vitamin A binds to the two families of retinoid receptors RAR (retinoic acid receptors) and RXR (retinoid-x receptors). The gene transcription modulation takes place through these receptors, as they function as ligand-activated transcription factors. This helps in natural cell differentiation and growth. (14)

Vitamin A manufacturing process

The manufacturing process of Vitamin A follows a generalized six-step procedure-

1) Accumulation of crude Vitamin A raw material, which goes through an extraction process depending upon the kind of material used.

2) The next step is the distillation of retinyl esters at 200℃.

3) In the third step, ester saponification takes place at 60-70℃ for about 30 minutes.

4) In the fourth step, the retinol is extracted with ether.

5) In the fifth step, there is again a process of distillation of retinol at 120℃.

6) In the final step, purification by crystallization from ethyl formate at -35℃ takes place. Here the commercial product is finally prepared in the desired form of tablets, capsules, syrups, lotions, powder, or injections. (5)

Vitamin A Benefits 

1) Vitamin A shows lipoperoxy radical scavenging activities and acts as an antioxidant (reducing the risk of cancer).

2) Vitamin A is used in the treatment of Vitamin A deficiency in our body. It is essential for maintenance and growth, in the proper functioning of reproductive organs, and modulation of the immune system, keeping our eyes, teeth, skeletal, soft tissues of the skin and mucous membranes healthy

3) Vitamin A thus helps in preventing cataracts, diarrhea in pregnant women who are malnourished, night blindness, xerophthalmia, Bitot’s spots, keratomalacia, hyperkeratosis of the skin, epithelial metaplasia of the mucous membranes, urinary calculi, impairment of spermatogenesis, and other reproductory malfunctions.

4) Vitamin A helps in gene transcription, hematopoiesis, and bone metabolism. (5)(14)(15)

Vitamin A dosage

• For Infants, the average intake should be 400 mcg per day for 0-6 months and 500 mcg per day for 7 to 12 months.

• For children, the intake should be as follows-

• 300 mcg per day for 1 to 3 years

• 400 mcg per day for 4 to 8 years

• 600 mcg per day for 9 to 13 years

• For adolescents and adults, the intake should be as follows-

• 900 mcg per day for men 14 years and above

• 770 mcg per day for women (including pregnant women)

• 1,300 mcg per day for breastfeeding mothers. (3)

Vitamin A side effects 

This vitamin generally has no side effects when taken in recommended doses. However, if one flouts the prescribed dosages, allergic reactions like rashes, itching/swelling (especially of the tongue, face, and throat), trouble in breathing, and dizziness could occur.

Large doses of Vitamin A could lead to birth defects and poisoning. (16)(3)

Vitamin A market size and trend

The global market size of Vitamin A is expected to reach $63.5 billion by 2025. The CAGR is expected to grow at the rate of 5.31% during the period 2020-2025. (17)

Vitamin A API bulk Price

The bulk price of Vitamin A is around $110-115 per kg. (18)

Vitamin A manufacturers in China

Below are some active pharma ingredients manufacturers in China that you may be interested in.

• Zhejiang Weishi Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

Zhejiang Weishi Biotechnology Co., Ltd. was started in 2005. It is devoted to the field of production and sales of Vitamins A, D3, E, K1, and other oil-soluble vitamins.(20)

• JIAXING MICROVIT BIOTECHNOLOGY CO., LTD

JIAXING MICROVIT BIOTECHNOLOGY CO., LTD was established in the year 2019, in the town of Wuzhen. They focus on production, research, development, design, sales, service, and support in the fields of nutritional supplements (like Vitamin A, D2, D3, E, Beta Carotene, and polyunsaturated fatty acids), colorants, etc from natural extracts. (21)

• Zhejiang NHU Company Ltd.

Zhejiang NHU Company Ltd. was first founded in the year 1999. They have been operating in more than 100 countries all over the world in the fields of human and animal nutrition, flavor and fragrance, API and new polymer materials, environment protection, and engineering plastics. (22)

• Xiamen Kingdomway Vitamin LTD.

Xiamen Kingdomway Vitamin LTD was established in the year 2016 in Fijian, China. They are the biggest manufacturers of the feed grade category of Vitamin A, D3, Coenzyme Q10, and Vitamin A oil. (23)

You can also find details around more suppliers for Vitamin A API in bulk at PharmaSources.com. PharmaSources.com is one of the leading and trustworthy vertical e-commerce online pharmaceutical marketplaces. It holds information on quality pharmaceutical products and suppliers for its esteemed global customers and delivers comprehensive services to 90,000+ active members. About 211 countries and regions use their services. PharmaSources.com has covered 30 major pharmaceutical categories across the supply chain and has notably been successful in selling over 1,600,000 products in these categories. (24)

FAQ:

Is vitamin A water-soluble?

Vitamin A has both water-soluble and fat-soluble forms, most of them being fat-soluble. Vitamin A Palmitate is fat-soluble and Beta Carotene is water-soluble. (19)

Sources:

1) https://www.medicinenet.com/vitamin_a/definition.htm

2) https://www.scbt.com/p/vitamin-a-68-26-8

3) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002400.htm

4) http://www.chemistry.wustl.edu/~edudev/LabTutorials/Vitamins/retinol.htm

5) https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Retinol#section=Depositor-Supplied-Patent-Identifiers

6) https://www.medindia.net/drug-price/retinol-vitamin-a.htm

7) https://www.piramalpharmasolutions.com/nutrition-solutions/product-list

8) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinyl_acetate

9) https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/IN/en/product/sial/phr1236?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiqWHBhD2ARIsAPCDzakDkj62x2lS4TECGcbyXbcrw91aWp7wzTQvTswBx_P29eRU_h46MA8aAhMzEALw_wcB

10) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinyl_palmitate

11) https://greatist.com/health/vitamin-a-for-skin#benefits

12) https://www.1mg.com/drugs/vitamin-a-chewable-tablet-261367

13) https://www.healthline.com/health/retinal-detachment#outlook

14) https://www.rxlist.com/aquasol-a-drug/patient-images-side-effects.htm

15) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_A

16) https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-173969/vitamin-a-acetate-sublingual/details

17) https://www.industryarc.com/Research/Vitamin-A-Market-Research-502042

18) https://dir.indiamart.com/search.mp?ss=VITAMIN+A+POWDER&prdsrc=1&mcatid=39391&catid=578

19) https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fat-soluble-vitamins#:~:text=Vitamins%20can%20be%20classified%20based,do%20not%20dissolve%20in%20water

20) http://www.vitaweishi.com/pro01_en.html

21) http://www.by119.cn/company-home/jiaxing-microvit-biotechnology-co-ltd-userId-68878.html

22) https://www.cnhu.com/en/

23) https://kingdomway.en.ecplaza.net/

24) www.by119.cn