| Retinyl palmitate | |
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[(2E,4E,6E,8E)-3,7-Dimethyl-9-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexenyl)nona-2,4,6,8-tetraenyl] hexadecanoate |
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Other names
Retinol palmitate |
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| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 79-81-2 |
| PubChem | 5280531 |
| ChemSpider | 10618934 |
| UNII | 1D1K0N0VVC |
| Jmol-3D images | Image 1 |
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| Properties | |
| Molecular formula | C36H60O2 |
| Molar mass | 524.86 g/mol |
| (verify) (what is: /?) Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) |
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| Infobox references | |
Retinyl palmitate, or vitamin A palmitate, is the ester of retinol (vitamin A) and palmitic acid, with formula C36H60O2.
Palmitate is the major component of palm oil. The word "palmitate" is from the French "palmitique", the pith of the palm tree.
An alternate spelling, retinol palmitate, which violates the -yl organic chemical naming convention for esters, is also frequently seen.
Retinyl palmitate is a synthetic alternate for retinyl acetate in vitamin A supplements, and is available in oily or dry forms. It is a common vitamin supplement, available in both oral and injectable forms for treatment of vitamin A deficiency, under the brand names Aquasol A, Palmitate A and many others. It is a pre-formed version of vitamin A; therefore, the intake should not exceed the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). Overdosing preformed Vitamin A forms such as retinyl palmitate leads to adverse physiological reactions (hypervitaminosis A).[1]
Retinyl palmitate is used as an antioxidant and a source of vitamin A added to low fat milk and other dairy products to replace the vitamin content lost through the removal of milk fat. Palmitate is attached to the alcohol form of vitamin A, retinol, in order to make vitamin A stable in milk.
Retinyl palmitate is also a constituent of some topically applied skin care products. After its absorption into the skin, retinyl palmitate is converted to retinol, and ultimately to retinoic acid (the active form of vitamin A present in Retin-A).
New York Senator Chuck Schumer has called attention to the fact that high doses of retinyl palmitate were shown to accelerate cancer in lab animals,[2] but toxicological analysis has determined that products containing retinyl palmitate are safe.[3]