Translations:Biotin/32/en

In 1936, Fritz Kögl and Benno Tönnis documented isolating a yeast growth factor in a journal article titled "Darstellung von krystallisiertem biotin aus eigelb." (Representation of crystallized biotin from egg yolk). The name biotin derives from the Greek word bios ('to live') and the suffix "-in" (a general chemical suffix used in organic chemistry). Other research groups, working independently, had isolated the same compound under different names. Hungarian scientist Paul Gyorgy began investigating the factor responsible for egg-white injury in 1933 and in 1939, was successful identifying what he called "Vitamin H" (the H represents Haar und Haut, German for 'hair and skin'). Further chemical characterization of vitamin H revealed that it was water-soluble and present in high amounts in the liver. After experiments performed with yeast and Rhizobium trifolii, West and Wilson isolated a compound they called co-enzyme R. By 1940, it was recognized that all three compounds were identical and were collectively given the name: biotin. Gyorgy continued his work on biotin and in 1941 published a paper demonstrating that egg-white injury was caused by the binding of biotin by avidin. Unlike for many vitamins, there is insufficient information to establish a recommended dietary allowance, so dietary guidelines identify an "adequate intake" based on best available science with the understanding that at some later date this will be replaced by more exact information.