What Is Vitamin A Retinol CAS 11103-57-4? Benefits & Uses

What Is Vitamin A Retinol CAS 11103-57-4? Benefits & Uses

Written by: ALEN, Chemical Engineer, MOSINTER | 15 years in vitamin manufacturing and pharmaceutical APIs

Two weeks ago, a formulation chemist from a major skincare brand reached out with an urgent question: "We've tested retinol from five different suppliers, and the stability varies wildly. How do we know what we're actually getting?" It's a problem I hear constantly. Vitamin A Retinol CAS 11103-57-4 is one of the most sought-after ingredients in both pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, yet sourcing consistent, high-purity material remains surprisingly difficult.

Vitamin A Retinol (CAS 11103-57-4) is a fat-soluble vitamin compound with molecular formula C₂₀H₃₀O, appearing as yellow to orange crystals or solid. According to the PubChem database, this compound has a melting point of 62-64°C and serves as the parent structure for all retinoids. The FDA has approved retinol for anti-aging applications, making it a cornerstone ingredient in dermatological formulations worldwide.

In This Guide

1. What Is Vitamin A Retinol and Why Does It Matter? 2. Key Benefits of Vitamin A Retinol for Industrial Applications 3. Technical Specifications and Quality Parameters 4. Primary Applications Across Industries 5. Storage and Handling Guidelines 6. Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Vitamin A Retinol and Why Does Purity Matter?

Pharmaceutical buyers often fixate on price per kilogram while overlooking the factor that actually determines cost-effectiveness: assay purity. A batch labeled "95% pure" might seem acceptable until you realize that the 5% impurity content can degrade your final product's shelf life by months.

Vitamin A Retinol functions as the primary form of vitamin A used in cellular development, vision support, and skin regeneration. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that retinol is essential for maintaining epithelial integrity and immune function. In industrial applications, the compound's bioactivity depends heavily on the manufacturing process and storage conditions.

Technical Specifications

What Are the Key Benefits of Vitamin A Retinol?

When procurement teams evaluate vitamin A suppliers, they typically request COAs focusing on assay and heavy metals. What they often miss-and what separates successful formulations from failed ones-is the oxidation state of the delivered material.

Vitamin A Retinol delivers proven efficacy across multiple therapeutic areas: anti-aging, acne treatment, wound healing, and vision support. Research published in peer-reviewed journals confirms that retinol stimulates collagen synthesis and accelerates cellular turnover. For pharmaceutical applications, the compound's ability to regulate gene expression makes it invaluable in dermatological treatments.

Industry Applications and Benefits

How Should Vitamin A Retinol Be Stored and Handled?

Here's what most suppliers won't tell you: retinol degradation starts the moment the container is opened. I've seen $50,000 batches become unusable within weeks because of improper storage protocols. The compound is extremely sensitive to three factors: light, oxygen, and heat.

Proper storage requires temperatures between 2-8°C, protection from light using amber containers, and an inert atmosphere (nitrogen blanketing) to prevent oxidation. According to the ChemSpider database, retinol is classified as light-sensitive, air-sensitive, and heat-sensitive. Avoid contact with strong oxidizing agents, which can cause rapid degradation.

What Quality Parameters Should You Verify?

After 15 years in vitamin manufacturing, I can tell you the quality indicators that actually matter versus those that are marketing fluff. Assay percentage alone doesn't tell the full story. You need to verify isomeric purity-specifically the ratio of all-trans retinol to cis isomers, as only the trans form provides full biological activity.

Critical quality parameters include: assay (≥95%), moisture content (<0.5%), residual solvents (within ICH limits), heavy metals (Pb <10ppm, As <3ppm), and microbial limits per USP standards. MOSINTER provides comprehensive COA documentation with each batch, and our cosmetic ingredient chemicals meet international pharmacopeia standards.

How Much Vitamin A Is Too Much?

Formulators need to understand toxicity thresholds. The line between therapeutic benefit and adverse effects is narrower with vitamin A than with most other vitamins. This isn't theoretical-I've consulted on product recalls where excessive vitamin A content created liability issues.

According to NIH guidelines, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 900 mcg RAE for adult men and 700 mcg RAE for adult women. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is set at 3,000 mcg/day of preformed vitamin A. Exceeding this limit can cause hypervitaminosis A, with symptoms including nausea, headache, and in severe cases, liver damage. Cosmetic formulations typically contain 0.1-1% retinol for topical applications, which is considered safe for external use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods have vitamin A?

Preformed vitamin A (retinol) is found in animal products including liver, fish, dairy, and eggs. Provitamin A carotenoids (which convert to retinol in the body) are abundant in orange and dark green vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and kale. For industrial applications requiring pure retinol, synthetic production provides consistent quality impossible to achieve from natural extraction.

What does vitamin A do for the body?

Vitamin A serves essential functions in vision (forming rhodopsin in the retina), immune response, cellular differentiation, and epithelial tissue maintenance. In skin cells, retinol converts to retinoic acid, which binds to nuclear receptors and regulates gene expression-this is the mechanism behind its anti-aging effects. For food additive applications, vitamin A fortification addresses nutritional deficiencies in populations with limited dietary diversity.

What is vitamin A good for in skincare?

Retinol is clinically proven to reduce fine lines, improve skin texture, fade hyperpigmentation, and treat acne by normalizing keratinization. It stimulates collagen production and accelerates cell turnover. The FDA has approved vitamin A as an anti-wrinkle agent. In professional formulations, concentrations typically range from 0.25% for sensitive skin to 1% for intensive treatments.

What are vitamin A deficiency symptoms?

Early symptoms include night blindness (nyctalopia) and dry eyes. Advanced deficiency causes xerophthalmia, increased infection susceptibility, and in severe cases, complete blindness. According to WHO data, vitamin A deficiency remains a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness in developing regions, affecting an estimated 250 million preschool children globally.

How much vitamin A per day is recommended?

The NIH recommends 900 mcg RAE/day for adult males and 700 mcg RAE/day for adult females. Pregnant women should not exceed 3,000 mcg/day due to teratogenic risks. For B2B buyers formulating supplements, these limits are critical for label claims and regulatory compliance. Note that RAE (Retinol Activity Equivalents) accounts for the different bioavailability of retinol versus carotenoid sources.

Conclusion

Vitamin A Retinol CAS 11103-57-4 remains an essential compound across pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutritional industries. Sourcing high-purity, properly stabilized material from a supplier with verified quality systems is the difference between formulation success and costly failures.

Ready to source pharmaceutical-grade Vitamin A Retinol? Contact MOSINTER today for specifications, COA samples, and competitive pricing. With 21 years of industry experience and 500T/year production capacity, we deliver consistent quality with flexible order quantities starting from 1 gram for sampling.

WhatsApp: +8618989305995 | Email: info1@mosinterchem.com

Last Updated: December 2025