Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 (a B vitamin), is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life (essential nutrient). Pantothenic acid is needed to form coenzyme-A (CoA), and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. In chemical structure, it is the amide between D-pantoate and beta-alanine. Its name is derived from the Greek pantothen meaning "from everywhere" and small quantities of pantothenic acid are found in nearly every food, with high amounts in whole-grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, and royal jelly. It is commonly found as its alcohol analog, the provitamin panthenol, and as calcium pantothenate. Pantothenic acid is an ingredient in some hair and skin care products.

Uses

Given pantothenic acid's prevalence among living things and the limited body of studies in deficiency, many uses of pantothenic acid have been the subject of research.

Testicular Torsion

Testicular torsion can severely affect fertility if it occurs. One study on a rat model indicated that a treatment of 500 mg of dexpanthenol/kg body weight 30 minutes prior to detorsion can greatly decrease the risk of infertility after torsion. Pantothenic acid has the ability to spare reduced glutathione levels. Reactive oxygen species play a role in testicular atrophy, which the glutathione can 'fight' against.

Diabetic Ulceration

Foot ulceration is a problem commonly associated with diabetes, which often leads to amputation. A preliminary study completed by Abdelatif, Yakoot and Etmaan indicated that perhaps a royal jelly and panthenol ointment can help cure the ulceration. People studied with foot ulceration or deep tissue infection had a 96% and 92% success rate of recovery. However, as this was a pilot study, it was not a randomized placebo-controlled double-blinded study. While these results appear promising, they need to be validated.

Hypolipidemic Effects

Pantothenic acid derivatives, panthenol, phosphopantethine and pantethine, have also been seen to improve the lipid profile in the blood and liver. In a mouse model, they injected 150 mg of the derivative/kg body weight. All three derivatives were able to effectively lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) as well as triglyceride (TG) levels, panthenol was able to lower total cholesterol and pantethine was able to lower LDL-cholesterol in the serum. The decrease in LDL-cholesterol is significant, as it will decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke. In the liver, panthenol was the most effective, as it lowered TG, T-chol, free cholesterol and cholesterol-ester levels.

Wound Healing

A study in 1999 showed that pantothenic acid has an effect on wound healing in vitro. Wiemann and Hermann found that cell cultures with a concentration of 100?g/mL calcium D-pantothenate increased migration, and the fibres ran directionally with several layers, whereas the cell cultures without pantothenic acid healed in no orderly motion, and with fewer layers. Cell proliferation, or cell multiplication was found to increase with pantothenic acid supplementation. Finally, there were increased concentrations of two proteins, both of which have still to be been identified, that was found in the supplemented culture, but not on the control. Further studies are needed to determine whether these effects will stand in vivo.

Hair Care

Mouse models identified skin irritation and loss of hair color as possible results of severe pantothenic acid deficiency.[citation needed] As a result, the cosmetic industry began adding pantothenic acid to various cosmetic products, including shampoo. These products, however, showed no benefits in human trials.[citation needed] Despite this, many cosmetic products still advertise pantothenic acid additives.
Acne

Following from discoveries in mouse trials, in the late 1990s a small study was published promoting the use of pantothenic acid to treat acne vulgaris.

According to a study published in 1995 by Dr. Lit-Hung Leung, high doses of Vitamin B5 resolved acne and decreased pore size. Dr. Leung also proposes a mechanism, stating that CoA regulates both hormones and fatty-acids, and without sufficient quantities of pantothenic acid, CoA will preferentially produce androgens. This causes fatty acids to build up and be excreted through sebaceous glands, causing acne. Leung's study gave 45 Asian males and 55 Asian females varying doses of 10-20g of pantothenic acid (100000% of the US Daily Value), 80% orally and 20% through topical cream. Leung noted improvement of acne within one week to one month of the start of the treatment.

Diabetic Peripheral Polyneuropathy

28 out of 33 patients (84.8%) previously treated with alpha-lipoic acid for peripheral polyneuropathy reported further improvement after combination with pantothenic acid. The theoretical basis for this is that both substances intervene at different sites in pyruvate metabolism and are thus more effective than one substance alone. Additional clinical findings indicated that diabetic neuropathy may occur in association with a latent prediabetic metabolic disturbance, and that the symptoms of neuropathy can be favourably influenced by the described combination therapy, even in poorly controlled diabetes.