Vitamin B-1; Thiamin
Thiamin Vitamin B-1 In the late 1800s, beriberi became even more common and one of the leading causes of death. This occurred because the rice-milling technology introduced at that time completely removed the bran and the germ, resulting in highly polished white rice but also stripping the rice grains of their thiamin content. However, scientists did not link the disease beriberi with a nutrient deficiency until early in the 1900s, when it was discovered that a vital factor in rice germ cures beriberi. That factor is the B-vitamin thiamin, it also known as vitamin B-1 . Structure of Thiamin: Thiamin consists of a central carbon attached to a 6-member nitrogen containing ring and a 5-member sulfur-containing ring. Its name comes from thio, meaning "sulfur" and amine, referring to the nitrogen groups in the molecule. Two phosphate groups are added, to form this vitamin's coenzyme, thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) (also called thiamin diphosphate). The chemical bond between...