Hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl) is a natural analog of vitamin B-12 , a basic member of the cobalamin family of compounds. It has an intense red color. Vitamin B12 is a term that refers to a group of compounds called cobalamins that are available in the human body in a variety of mostly interconvertible forms. more

Hydroxocobalamin (OHCbl) is a natural analog of vitamin B-12 , a basic member of the cobalamin family of compounds. It has an intense red color. Vitamin B12 is a term that refers to a group of compounds called cobalamins that are available in the human body in a variety of mostly interconvertible forms. Together with folic acid, cobalamins are essential cofactors required for DNA synthesis in cells where chromosomal replication and division are occurring?most notably the bone marrow and myeloid cells. As a cofactor, cobalamins are essential for two cellular reactions: (1) the mitochondrial methylmalonylcoenzyme A mutase conversion of methylmalonic acid (MMA) to succinate, which links lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and (2) activation of methionine synthase, which is the rate limiting step in the synthesis of methionine from homocysteine and tetrahydrofolate (Katzung, 1989). less