Pyridoxine hydrochloride CAS#58-56-0

Vitamin B6, alternatively called pyridoxine or the anti-pellagra vitamin, has the scientific designation 2-methyl-3-hydroxy-4,5-dihydroxymethylpyridine, while its pharmaceutical form is typically pyridoxine hydrochloride. The hydrochloride salt is commonly employed in medicinal preparations. This compound appears as a white or faintly yellow crystalline powder that melts with decomposition at 204-206°C. It dissolves readily in water, ethanol and acetone, but shows only limited solubility in ether. Characterized by an acidic and bitter flavor, it remains stable under normal atmospheric conditions but slowly degrades upon sunlight exposure and tends to sublimate.

When treated with ferric chloride, it yields a reddish-brown coloration. It occurs naturally in various sources including rice bran, vegetables, yeast, molasses and fats, and can be chemically produced from methyl methoxyacetate, acetone and ethyl cyanoacetate. Clinically, it serves to prevent and manage pregnancy-related nausea, radiation-induced vomiting, isoniazid toxicity and gastrointestinal side effects of anticancer medications. Additionally, it finds occasional use as a supplementary therapy for pellagra and certain nutritional deficiency disorders.