Comparison between Crystalline Dihydrotachysterol and Calciferol in Patients Requiring Pharmacologic Vitamin D Therapy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
PATIENTS requiring pharmacologic amounts of vitamin D have usually been treated with ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) although cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and dihydrotachysterol have also been used. Dihydrotachysterol, like ergocalciferol, is a product of irradiation of ergosterol and was isolated by Holtz and Schreiber,1 who were searching for a steroid more effective than ergocalciferol in the treatment of hypocalcemic states. The pharmaceutical preparation AT10 (Hytakerol), although assayed in terms of assumed dihydrotachysterol content, is actually a mixture of steroids with dihydrovitamin D2II, an isomer of dihydrotachysterol, as the chief component.2 This preparation has been shown . . .