PHARMACEUTICAL STUDIES ON VITAMIN D DERIVATIVES AND PRACTICAL SYNTHESES OF SIX COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE VITAMIN D DERIVATIVES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO CURRENT CLINICAL PRACTICE

Three milestones exist in vitamin D research from the perspective of pharmaceutical development. The article first discusses the various milestones outlining vitamin D and derivatives in terms of pharmaceutical applications. Several active vitamin D derivatives based on the findings during the third milestone are now commercially available and contributing to current clinical practice. The paper also reviews the practical syntheses of six derivatives, maxacalcitol, calcipotriol, tacalcitol, paricalcitol, doxercalciferol, and falecalcitriol, as well as summarizes future prospects for further drug development.