Nicotinamide , also known as niacinamide and nicotinic acid amide , is the amide of nicotinic acid (vitamin B 3 ). Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B group. more

Nicotinamide , also known as niacinamide and nicotinic acid amide , is the amide of nicotinic acid (vitamin B 3 ). Nicotinamide is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B group. Nicotinic acid, also known as niacin, is converted to niacinamide in vivo , and though the two are identical in their vitamin functions, niacinamide does not have the same pharmacologic and toxic effects of niacin , which occur incidental to niacin's conversion. Thus niacinamide does not reduce cholesterol or cause flushing, [ 1 ] although nicotinamide may be toxic to the liver at doses exceeding 3 g/day for adults. [ 2 ] In cells, niacin is incorporated into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), although the pathways for nicotinamide and nicotinic acid are very similar. NAD+ and NADP+ are coenzymes in a wide variety of enzymatic oxidation-reduction reactions. [ 3 ] less