Alfacalcidol

Alfacalcidol
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
(1R,3S,5Z)-4-Methylidene-5-[(2E)-2-{(1R,3aS,7aR)-7a-methyl-1-[(2R)-6-methylheptan-2-yl]octahydro-4H-inden-4-ylidene}ethylidene]cyclohexane-1,3-diol
Other names
Alphacalcidol; 1-Hydroxycholecalciferol
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
DrugBank
ECHA InfoCard 100.050.253
KEGG
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C27H44O2/c1-18(2)8-6-9-19(3)24-13-14-25-21(10-7-15-27(24,25)5)11-12-22-16-23(28)17-26(29)20(22)4/h11-12,18-19,23-26,28-29H,4,6-10,13-17H2,1-3,5H3/b21-11+,22-12-/t19-,23-,24-,25+,26+,27-/m1/s1 Y
    Key: OFHCOWSQAMBJIW-AVJTYSNKSA-N Y
  • InChI=1/C27H44O2/c1-18(2)8-6-9-19(3)24-13-14-25-21(10-7-15-27(24,25)5)11-12-22-16-23(28)17-26(29)20(22)4/h11-12,18-19,23-26,28-29H,4,6-10,13-17H2,1-3,5H3/b21-11+,22-12-/t19-,23-,24-,25+,26+,27-/m1/s1
    Key: OFHCOWSQAMBJIW-AVJTYSNKBM
  • O[C@@H]1CC(\C(=C)[C@@H](O)C1)=C\C=C2/CCC[C@]3([C@H]2CC[C@@H]3[C@H](C)CCCC(C)C)C
Properties
C27H44O2
Molar mass 400.64 g/mol
Melting point 136 °C (277 °F; 409 K)
0.016 g/100 mL
Pharmacology
A11CC03 (WHO)
License data
Legal status
  • UK: POM (Prescription only)
  • EU: Rx-only
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
N verify (what is YN ?)
Infobox references

Alfacalcidol (or 1-hydroxycholecalciferol) is an analogue of vitamin D used for supplementation in humans and as a poultry feed additive.

Alfacalcidol has a weaker impact on calcium metabolism and parathyroid hormone levels than calcitriol; but significant effects on the immune system, including regulatory T cells. It is considered to be a more useful form of vitamin D supplementation, mostly due to its much longer half-life and lower kidney load. It is the most commonly prescribed vitamin D metabolite for patients with end stage renal disease, given that impaired renal function alters the ability to carry out the second hydroxylation step required for the formation of the physiologically active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Alfacalcidol is an active vitamin D3 metabolite, and therefore does not require the second hydroxylation step in the kidney.