Ergocalciferol

Ergocalciferol (vitamin D₂) is a form of vitamin D. Ergocalciferol is a secosteroid formed by a photochemical bond breaking of a steroid, specifically, by the action of ultraviolet light on ergosterol. Viosterol, the name given to early preparations of irradiated ergosterol, is essentially synonymous with ergocalciferol.

Ergocalciferol may be used as a vitamin D supplement, and a 2011 clinical guideline considered it to be as effective as cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃) which is produced naturally by the skin when exposed to ultraviolet light. It is manufactured and marketed under various names, including Deltalin (Eli Lilly and Company), Drisdol (Sanofi-Synthelabo) and Calcidol (Patrin Pharma).

Sources

Lichen