This article is from "Nankai Sun Pharmacist", which is used for medical science popularization for reference. Vitamin B1, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are all group B water-soluble vitamins, which are essential vitamins for the body to maintain normal metabolism and function, vitamin B1 and vitamin B6 must be obtained from food, and a small amount of vitamin B12 can be synthesized in the body or produced by intestinal bacteria. The daily requirement for these B vitamins is minimal, but when deficient, it can cause B vitamin deficiency, and the inadequate intake or malabsorption of these B vitamins is the main cause of deficiency. It is not recommended to use these B vitamins as nutrients without restrictions, and if the diet is reasonable and there are no special needs, taking these B vitamins as supplements can sometimes be harmful. Vitamin B1 is an important vitamin that the body needs, and the body needs less vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.
Vitamin B6 includes pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine, which are converted to each other. Vitamin B6 reacts with ATP in the body to produce physiologically active pyridoxal phosphate and pyridoxamine phosphate, which is a coenzyme of aminotransferase, decarboxylase and digestive enzyme of certain amino acids, and participates in many metabolic processes, such as the inhibitory transmitter - aminobutyric acid in the brain is produced by glutamic acid decarboxylation, and the conversion of tryptophan to niacin or serotonin also requires vitamin B6 participation. In addition, pyridoxal phosphate can be involved in the conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid. Animal experiments have found that vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to atherosclerotic lesions. Vitamin B6 is mainly suitable for the prevention and treatment of peripheral neuritis, insomnia and restlessness caused by large or long-term use of isoniazid and hydralazine, and to reduce nausea, vomiting and pregnancy vomiting caused by anticancer drugs and radiation**, and can also be used for leukopenia.
Vitamin B1 is an essential vitamin for glucose metabolism, and when it is deficient, oxidation in the body is hindered to form pyruvate and lactic acid accumulation, and affects the body's energy**. Symptoms are mainly in the nervous and cardiovascular systems, with polyperipheral neuritis affecting both sensory and motor nerves, manifested by paresthesias, neuralgia, weakness of the limbs, and muscle aches and atrophy. In the cardiovascular aspect, due to the accumulation of pyruvate and lactate in the blood, the arterioles dilate, the diastolic blood pressure drops, and the myocardial metabolism is disordered, so it is easy to have cardiac insufficiency symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, chest tightness, cardiac hypertrophy, hepatopulmonary congestion and peripheral edema. In the digestive tract, it is manifested by a decrease in appetite leading to weakness and weight loss. Vitamin B1 is mainly used in clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of vitamin B1 deficiency, such as beriberi or Wernicke's encephalopathy, and can also be used as an aid to peripheral neuritis and dyspepsia**.
Vitamin B6 is involved in sphingomyelin metabolism and can be involved in the synthesis of neuromediators such as serotonin, taurine, dopamine, norepinephrine and -aminobutyric acid. Vitamin B1 can participate in the signal transduction of the nervous system, plays an important role in maintaining the balance of oxidative metabolism in the brain, and is an important bioactive substance to maintain the normal function of the nervous system. Therefore, the combination of vitamin B6 and vitamin B1 has a strong analgesic effect and can be used as an adjunct to polyneuritis**.
Vitamin B12 is a cobalt-containing red compound that is converted to methylcobalamin and coenzyme B12 to become active, and methylcobalamin repairs damaged peripheral nerves by promoting the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins in nerve cells, as well as nerve myelin sheaths. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to increased methylmalonic acid excretion and abnormal fatty acid metabolism, which is likely to be one of the causes of neurological disorders. Vitamin B12 can be used as an adjunct to neurological diseases such as polyperipheral neuritis, neuralgia, and nerve atrophy**.
Vitamin B12 deficiency causes diffuse and progressive nerve demyelination, disrupts the normal morphology and function of nerve cells, and induces various neurological diseases and subacute combined lesions of the spinal cord. Sensory polyneuropathy and sensorimotor polyneuropathy can occur with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 deficiency. Therefore, the combination of vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 can enhance the analgesic effect and relieve pain caused by peripheral nerve disorders and spinal cord disorders.