Myristyl Nicotinate

What is myristyl nicotinate?

Myristyl nicotinate is a derivative of niacin, a form of vitamin B3, that was developed in order to deliver nicotinic acid to the skin topically (R, R).

Is myristyl nicotinate stable?

Myristyl nicotinate formulations have been shown to be stable at room temperature for 3 years, with less than 0.05% converted to nicotinic acid (R).

Does myristyl nicotinate get absorbed?

Myristyl nicotinate is lipophilic and has a low molecular weight of 319.251 Daltons, which should help it penetrate the similarly lipophilic stratum corneum of the skin (R). Oil-in-water microemulsion formulations of myristyl nicotinate have been shown to increase the transdermal flux of nicotinic acid across mice skin (R).

What happens after myristyl nicotinate is absorbed?

Myristyl nicotinate is hydrolysed into nicotinic acid by esterase enzymes in the skin, leading to a slow release of nicotinic acid that does not induce vasodilation and skin flushing (R, R).