Studies on beta-pyridylcarbinol as a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

The major part of orally administered beta-pyridylcarbinol was converted to nicotinic acid in the gastrointestinal tract, whereas that administered intraperitoneally was partially converted to nicotinic acid in the liver. The conversion of this compound to nicotinic acid in both the gastrointestinal tract and liver involved enzymatic processes. The converted nicotinic acid from beta-pyridylcarbinol may play a dominant role in the biological actions of beta-pyridylcarbinol and possibly involves in the synthesis of NAD via Preiss-Handler's pathway.