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Farah Anjum1, Alaa Shafie1, Mohammad Naime2, GS Toteja3, Shakir Ali4*.
1Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
2Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Lucknow, India.
3Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India.
4Department of Biochemistry, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 10, Issue 1, Page 10-13.

*Author for correspondence
E-mail: sali@jamiahamdard.ac.in

ABSTRACT
All-trans-retinol or Vitamin A1 is an unstable lipid present in serum and formulations such as creams for acne, rhytids, and dyschromia. The retinoid is used as a biomarker for subclinical Vitamin A deficiency. Here, we report improved stability of retinol on long-term storage for over two years. Briefly, serum was used as a biological matrix. It was collected, stored, and processed in conditions simulating field conditions encountered in population-based studies in low/middle-income countries. Retinol was extracted in n-hexane and analyzed by HPLC. The analyte started deteriorating soon at room temperature but was stable for over 2 years when the matrix was stored under specified conditions. No additive was used. This study defines the collection, transportation, storage, handling, and processing conditions to ensure long-term storage stability of retinol in serum. The paper has implications in the analysis of Vitamin A1 in biological matrices and formulations stored over long periods.
Keywords: Vitamin A1, Stability, Storage, VAD, HPLC.