Vitamin A is required for healthy skin and mucus membranes, and for night vision. Its absence from diet leads to a loss in weight and failure of growth in young animals, to the eye diseases; xerophthalmia, and night blindness, and to a general susceptibility to infections. It is thought to help prevent the development of cancer.
Vitamin A is structurally related to carotene. Carotene is converted into vitamin A in the liver, two molecules of vitamin A are formed from on molecule of beta carotene, hence good sources of carotene, such as green vegetables are good potential sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A is manufactured by extraction from fish-liver oil and by synthesis from beta-ionone.
Good sources of Vitamin A - Butter, margarine, milk, cheese yogurt, cream, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, red peppers, chilies, leeks lettuce, broccoli, Swiss chard, spinach, tomatoes, watercress, basil, coriander, parsley, apricots, cantaloupe melons, mangoes, papayas, guavas, Sharon fruit.
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Vitamin A -3D structure |
Vitamin A -2D structure - C20H30O |
