PABA

Para-Aminobenzoic Acid

PABA is not considered to be essential for health, and is therefore not classified as a vitamin.

Food source of PABA:

Liver, brewer's yeast, kidney, whole grains, rice, bran, wheatgerm, molasses, and yoghurt

Functions of PABA:

PABA is an essential nutrient for some bacteria and is sometimes called Vitamin Bx, humans lack the ability to synthesize folate from PABA, although claims have been made to this effect. PABA is an intermediate in bacterial synthesis of folate, it also appears to potentiate the effects of of cortisone and estrogen by delaying their breakdown in the liver.

Deficiency signs of PABA:

No deficiency signs have been reported in humans.

Factors increasing the demand for PABA:

Excessive sunbaking, antibiotics, rickettsial diseases.

Therapeutic use of PABA:

Pemphigus involving severe blistering, vitiligo a disorder in which areas of the skin lose their pigmentation, chronic discoid lupus erythematosus, cleroderma, photosensitivity, as a sunscreen when applied topically, female infertility because it  appears to enhance estrogen, dermaromyositis, and combined with folic acid has restored white hair to its natural color. 

Drugs affecting PABA:

Antibiotics, alcohol, hydroquinone, phenyl arsenate.

Dosage and toxicity of PABA:

There is no RDA for PABA.   High doses of PABA have caused nausea, vomiting, low blood sugar, anorexia, fever,  skin rash, and in some cases liver damage. 

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