pantothenic acid /pan′təthen″ik/ , a member of the vitamin B complex. It is widely distributed in plant and animal tissues, almost entirely in the form of coenzyme A (CoA). This coenzyme has many metabolic roles in the cell, and a lack of pantothenic acid can lead to depressed metabolism of both carbohydrates and fats. No definite deficiency syndrome has been recognized in humans, perhaps due to its wide occurrence in almost all foods.
