Chemical Forms and Nomenclature
Cobalamin is an organometallic complex that exists in several pharmaceutical forms 4:
- Cyanocobalamin is the most widely used synthetic form of vitamin B12, with hematopoietic activity identical to the antianemia factor in purified liver extract 1
- Hydroxocobalamin is equally effective as cyanocobalamin and shares the same cobalamin molecular structure 1
- Methylcobalamin is another active form used therapeutically, particularly recommended in patients with renal dysfunction 5
Biochemical Context
- Cobalamin is a water-soluble B vitamin essential for cellular metabolism, DNA synthesis, methylation, and mitochondrial metabolism 2, 6
- The term "vitamin B12" and "cobalamin" are used interchangeably in clinical practice 2, 3, 7
- Cobalamin is derived exclusively from bacterial sources and is found naturally in foods of animal origin including eggs, milk, red meat, poultry, fish, and shellfish 3, 6
Clinical Terminology
- In medical literature and prescribing, you will encounter both the generic term "cobalamin" and specific chemical forms (cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin) depending on the route of administration and clinical indication 1, 6
- The vitamin participates in metabolic reactions involving DNA nucleotide synthesis and serves as a cofactor for methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and methionine synthase 4, 7