1. Biotin
Biotin, also known as vitamin H, coenzyme R, and vitamin b7, is a water-soluble vitamin and belongs to the B vitamin group.
Biotin CAS: 58-85-5, molecular formula: C10H16N2O3S, molecular weight: 244.3032, is a colorless long needle crystal, with the parallel ring of urea and thiophene combined, and with a valeric acid side chain; very slightly soluble in water (22mg/100ml water, 25℃) and ethanol (80mg/100ml, 25℃), more easily soluble in hot water and dilute alkali, not soluble in other common organic solvents. Soluble in other common organic solvents. It decomposes when it meets strong alkali or oxidizing agent.
As a cofactor of carboxylation, decarboxylation, and dehydrogenation enzyme system, biotin is involved in the metabolism of the three major nutrients of the body and is an important nutrient indispensable for the animal body.
2. Physiological functions of biotin
Biotin is the coenzyme of many enzymes in the human body, and participates in the metabolism of fatty acids and carbohydrates in the body; promotes the synthesis of protein; also participates in the metabolism of vitamin B12, folic acid, and pantothenic acid; promotes the synthesis and excretion of urea.
- Helps the normal synthesis and metabolism of fats, liver sugar, and amino acids in the body.
- Promote the normal functioning and growth of sweat glands, nerve tissue, bone marrow, male gonads, skin, and hair, and reduce the symptoms of eczema and dermatitis.
- preventing gray hair and hair loss, and helping to treat baldness.
- easing muscle pain.
- Promotes urea synthesis and excretion, purine synthesis, and oleic acid biosynthesis.
- It is used to treat arteriosclerosis, stroke, lipid metabolism disorders, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and blood circulation disorders.
3. Biotin specific products
At present, biotin has been widely used in medicine, poultry, and livestock feed additives, and also in athletes’ drinks, infant formula and milk powder, and other health food.
Biotin’s products include biotin pure, biotin 2% feed grade, and biotin 1% food grade.
4. Biotin Manufacturers
The distribution of this product is more concentrated, the main biotin manufacturers are Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd, Zhejiang NHU Co., Ltd, Zhejiang Medicine Co., Ltd, Shanghai Hegno Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd, and Hangzhou Kexing Biochem. Co., Ltd, the market share of the five major manufacturers together reaches more than 90%.
In 2019, the production of biotin is 335 tons, recorded as a pure product. It accounts for more than 70% of applications in the feed sector.
4.1 Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd
Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd (stock code: 603079), the company is one of the first enterprises engaged in the production of biotin and bio preservatives in China, mainly engaged in the research and development, production, and sales of food and feed additives, the products include vitamin products such as biotin and folic acid and bio preservatives such as streptococcus lactis and natamycin. In the field of biotin, Sundar Bio is the world’s largest supplier, ranking first in production, sales, and export value for many years.
4.2 Zhejiang NHU Co., Ltd
Zhejiang NHU Co., Ltd is a national high-tech enterprise mainly engaged in the production and sales of nutritional products, flavors and fragrances, new polymer materials, and APIs. The main products include vitamin E, vitamin A, methionine, vitamin D3, biotin, astaxanthin, and coenzyme Q10. The main vitamin market share is high, the industry position is outstanding, and the brand advantage is obvious, in the domestic leading, foreign well-known market position.
4.3 Zhejiang Medicine Co., Ltd
Zhejiang Medicine Co., Ltd‘s main business is life nutrition products, pharmaceutical manufacturing products, and pharmaceutical business. Life nutrition products are mainly vitamin and vitamin-like products such as synthetic vitamin E, vitamin A, natural vitamin E, vitamin H (biotin), vitamin D3, coenzyme Q10, beta-carotene, zebranin, lutein, and lycopene.
4.4 Shanghai Hegno Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd
Shanghai Hegno Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd was established in 2008 and its member companies include Chifeng Pharmaceutical Co. and Dafeng Hegno Pharmaceutical Co. Shanghai Hegno has established a certain market scale and brand influence in the field of monomeric vitamins, APIs (including intermediates), and contract processing and veterinary medicine business. The main products of vitamins include vitamin h, vitamin b2, and vitamin b6.
4.5 Hangzhou Kexing Biochem. Co., Ltd
Founded in 1996, Hangzhou Kexing Biochemical Co., Ltd is a high-tech company founded by several professors of Zhejiang University, relying on Zhejiang University, with feed additives and health industry products as its main business. Its main products include pharmaceutical intermediates coenzyme Q10, tilmicosin phosphate, C10-dialdehyde, biotin, etc.
5. Biotin manufacturing process
The biotin production process is tedious and includes condensation, hydrolysis, thio, gram, hydrogenation, debenzylation, cyclization, and refining steps. The raw materials mainly include cyclic acid, dextroamine, potassium borohydride, potassium thioacetate, etc. The specific production process of biotin is as follows.
Cyclic acid + Dextroamine–> Cyclic amine
Cyclic amine + Potassium borohydride + Hydrochloric acid–> Endolipid
Lipids + Potassium thioacetate–> Thioketone
Thioketone + Format reagent–> Ketene
Ketene + Hydrogen–> Hydride
Hydride + Hydrobromic acid–> Debenzylate
Debenzylate + Triphosgene–> Biotin crude
Biotin Crude + Pharmaceutical Charcoal–> Biotin Pure
6. Summary
Biotin manufacturers are concentrated in China, and the main manufacturers include, Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm Co., Ltd, Zhejiang NHU Co., Ltd, Zhejiang Medicine Co., Ltd, Shanghai Hegno Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd, and Hangzhou Kexing Biochem. Co., Ltd. Among them, Zhejiang Shengda Bio-Pharm has the largest production and sales volume.
The production process of biotin is tedious and requires a multi-step reaction.
