(As a trusted supplier, HANGZHOU JECI BIOCHEM offers stable-production, high-quality NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, CAS 53‑84‑9), delivering reliable raw material support for IVD and metabolic assay applications. Our consistent output and stringent quality control make us a preferred partner for diagnostic-grade NAD supply.)
NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is an important coenzyme naturally present in cells, existing in two forms: oxidized form (NAD⁺) and reduced form (NADH). It can be interconverted through redox reactions, regulating various biological processes such as cellular energy metabolism and signal transduction. NAD participates in key enzymatic reactions to capture metabolite changes, and abnormalities in NAD and NADH levels and their ratios are closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. Therefore, it has become an important marker for clinical biochemical testing and early disease screening. High-purity and high-stability diagnostic-grade NAD products, as core raw materials for in vitro diagnostic reagents (IVD) and metabolic testing kits, play a key role in improving detection sensitivity and result reliability.
Development History of Diagnostic-Grade NAD
In 1906, Arthur Harden discovered a "mysterious coenzyme factor" that promotes metabolism during his study of yeast alcohol fermentation (later proven to be NAD).
In 1929, Hans von Euler-Chelpin identified the dinucleotide structure of NAD.
In 1930, Otto Warburg elucidated the redox mechanism between NAD and NADH, clarifying that NADH exhibits characteristic ultraviolet absorption at 340 nm while NAD has no absorption at this wavelength, laying the theoretical foundation for enzymatic assays.
In 1948, Horecker et al. confirmed the molar extinction coefficient of NADH at 340 nm, enabling direct quantification of enzyme reaction rates through absorbance changes [1].
In 1961, Oliver H. Lowry established the NAD(P)/H cycling method, pioneering quantitative analysis of tissue/cellular NAD(P)/H.
From 1962 to 1963, Boehringer Mannheim (later acquired by Roche) launched a reagent kit based on NADH 340 nm absorbance detection for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), achieving the first commercial application of diagnostic-grade NAD as a coenzyme raw material.
In 1973, Bernofsky et al. established the principle of ADH-PES-MTT amplification system (ADH-PES-MTT colorimetric system) [2];同年, Kato et al. (Lowry Laboratory) developed the ADH-MDH dual-enzyme cycling method, enabling highly sensitive detection of NAD/NADH [3].
Since then, diagnostic-grade NAD has become a core raw material for routine biochemical testing and has continuously expanded into cutting-edge fields such as neurodegenerative disease biomarker research, tumor metabolism tracking, and aging assessment.
Diagnostic - grade NAD Application Scenarios
Core Raw Materials for Clinical Biochemical Diagnosis
① Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Detection
Detection Principle:
Lactate+NAD+⟶LDHPyruvate+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Department of Cardiology (acute myocardial infarction diagnosis), Clinical Laboratory (hemolytic anemia diagnosis), Hepatology (liver cell injury assessment), etc.
Normal Range of LDH: 140 - 280 U/L (adults, differences exist among methods)
Clinical Significance: > 280 U/L (indicates tissue damage (liver, heart, kidney, muscle, lung, etc.)), > 500 U/L (commonly seen in myocardial infarction, hemolytic anemia, malignant tumors, severe infections).
② Malate Dehydrogenase (MDH) Detection
Detection Principle:
Malic Acid+NAD+⟶MDHOxaloacetic Acid+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Clinical Reagents (mitochondrial disease diagnosis), Scientific Research Field (mitochondrial function research), etc.
Normal Range of MDH: 12.5 - 50 U/L (different laboratories have slight differences due to detection methods and reagents)
Clinical Significance: Elevation indicates mitochondrial injury, tissue necrosis, etc.
③ Isocitrate Dehydrogenase (ICDH) Detection
Detection Principle:
Isocitric Acid+NAD+⟶ICDHα-Ketoglutaric Acid+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Clinical Mitochondrial Disease Diagnosis, Scientific Research Field (liver injury assessment, energy metabolism research), etc.
Normal Range of ICDH: 1 - 5 U/L (serum)
Clinical Significance: Elevation indicates mitochondrial injury, hepatocyte injury, tissue necrosis, etc.
④Creatine Kinase (CK) Detection
Detection Principle:
Phosphocreatine+ADPGlucose+ATPG-6-P+NAD+⟶CKCreatine+ATP⟶HKG-6-P+ADP⟶G6PDH6PG+NADH
Application Scenarios: Department of Cardiology (acute myocardial infarction, myocarditis), Orthopedics/Emergency Department (muscle injury, rhabdomyolysis), Neurology (myopathy), etc.
Normal Range of CK: Males 38 - 174 U/L; Females 26 - 140 U/L (differences among methods)
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels indicate myocardial or skeletal muscle injury, commonly seen in myocardial infarction, myocarditis, rhabdomyolysis, strenuous exercise, etc.
⑤Glucose Detection
Detection Principle:
Glucose+ATPG-6-P+NAD+⟶HKG-6-P+ADP⟶G6PDH6PG+NADH
Application Scenarios: Endocrinology (diabetes diagnosis and blood glucose monitoring), Emergency Department (hypoglycemic coma, hyperglycemic emergency diagnosis), Critical Care Medicine (ICU patient blood glucose monitoring), etc.
Normal Range of Glucose: Fasting 3.9 - 6.1 mmol/L; 2 hours after meal < 7.8 mmol/L
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels are seen in diabetes, stress hyperglycemia; Decreased levels are seen in hypoglycemia, insulinoma, severe liver disease, etc.
⑥Lactate Detection
Detection Principle:
Lactate+NAD+⟶LDHPyruvate+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Emergency Department (shock/tissue hypoxia assessment), ICU (post - rescue judgment of critical patients), Department of Cardiology (heart failure), Infectious Diseases (sepsis), Sports Medicine (athletes' physical capacity assessment), etc.
Normal Range of Lactate: 0.5 - 2.2 mmol/L (venous blood)
以下是图片内容的英文翻译,严格保持原格式：
⑦ Galactose Detection
Detection Principle:
β-D-Galactose+NAD+⟶GalDHGalactonic Acid+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Neonatal Screening (Galactosemia Diagnosis), Pediatrics (Inborn Errors of Metabolism), Gastroenterology (Lactose Intolerance Identification), Hepatology (Liver Function Assessment), etc.
Normal Range of Galactose: Fasting Serum: < 0.28 mmol/L; Newborns: < 1.11 mmol/L
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels are seen in galactosemia, hepatic insufficiency, congenital galactose metabolic enzyme deficiency, etc.
⑧ Ethanol Detection
Detection Principle:
Ethanol+NAD+⟶ADHAcetaldehyde+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Emergency Department (Acute Alcohol Poisoning Diagnosis), Physical Examination Center (Driver's Alcohol Test), Forensic Identification (Blood Alcohol Concentration Measurement), etc.
Normal Range of Ethanol: 0 mmol/L (Non-drinkers)
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels indicate alcohol consumption or alcohol poisoning; excessively high concentrations may lead to central nervous system depression, respiratory and circulatory inhibition.
⑨ β-Hydroxybutyrate Detection
Detection Principle:
β-Hydroxybutyric Acid+NAD+⟶β-HBDHAcetoacetic Acid+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Endocrinology (Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diagnosis), Nutrition (Dietary Intake Monitoring), etc.
Normal Range of β-Hydroxybutyrate: Fasting Blood: < 0.27 mmol/L (Differences among methods)
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, starvation, long-term fasting, alcoholic ketoacidosis, etc.
以下是图片内容的英文翻译,严格保持原格式：
⑨ β-Hydroxybutyric Acid Detection
Detection Principle:
β-Hydroxybutyric Acid+NAD+⟶β-HBDHAcetoacetic Acid+NADH+H+
Application Scenarios: Endocrinology (Diabetic Ketoacidosis Diagnosis), Nutrition (Diet Monitoring), etc.
Normal Range of β-Hydroxybutyric Acid: Fasting Blood: < 0.27 mmol/L (Differences among methods)
Clinical Significance: Elevated levels indicate diabetic ketoacidosis, starvation, long-term fasting, alcoholic ketosis, etc.
Biomarkers for Disease Assessment
NAD, as a biomarker for disease assessment, is currently in the clinical translation stage. In 2022, NADMED's Q-NADMED Blood NAD⁺/NADH Detection Kit became the world's first NAD detection product to obtain CE-IVD certification (In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive). It detects the concentrations of NAD⁺ and NADH in human whole blood, with detection limits of NAD⁺: 330 nM; NADH: 119 nM. The NAD⁺ concentration in whole blood of healthy adults is approximately 18 μM (range: 15–23 μM) [4], used for quantitative detection of whole blood and monitoring of NAD precursor therapeutic effects. However, it has not yet been approved as an independent disease diagnostic criterion.
In the field of scientific research, the potential value of the NAD/NADH ratio in cerebrospinal fluid or blood in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease), tumor metabolism, and aging assessment is being deeply studied [5−8], but it is currently mainly applied in clinical trials and scientific research exploration, rather than routine clinical diagnosis.
> Market Landscape of Diagnostic-grade NAD <
Currently, the global diagnostic-grade NAD market is in a stage of rapid development driven by technology and demand growth. The industry is rapidly transitioning from import-dominated to domestic substitution. The in vitro diagnostic field shows structural differentiation: although the total number of reagent kits has decreased, leading enterprises (e.g., Roche Diagnostics, Mindray Medical) remain stable and expand into new projects such as metabolic testing and aging assessment, while small and medium-sized enterprises reduce production lines due to profit pressure.
Main suppliers of diagnostic-grade NAD include: Roche, Oriental Yeast, SunClone Bio, Shenzhen Bangtai, etc.
References
[1] HORECKER B L, KORNBERG A. The extinction coefficients of the reduced band of pyridine nucleotides[J]. J Biol Chem, 1948, 175(1): 385 - 90.
[2] BENFORSKY C, SWAN M. An improved cycling assay for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide[J]. Anal Biochem, 1973, 53(2): 452 - 8.
[3] KATO T, BERNTSEN O, CARTER S, et al. An enzymic cycling method for nicotinamide - adenine dinucleotide with malic and alcohol dehydrogenases[J]. Anal Biochem, 1973, 56(2): 392 - 8.
[4] NATALIA V Balshova, Lev G Zavileysky, Artem V Artukhov, et al. Efficient Assay and Marker Significance of NAD⁺ in Human Blood[J]. Front Med, 2022, 9, 886645.
[5] LAN Z P. A Novel Biomarker Detection System and Its Application in China[Patent]. China, 119560018A[P]. 2024 - 11 - 12.
[6] YAN L, SUN M R, WU J, et al. A Type of Fluorescent Probe for Detecting Pyrimidine Nucleosides and Its Preparation Method and Application: China, 117887460A[P]. 2025 - 09 - 02.
[7] JIN L P, ZHAO X, LU Y, et al. Chromogenic Determination of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide and Its Metabolites Using Pyridine Nucleosides as Cofactors and Its Application in the Diagnosis or Treatment of Fermentative Fluids[J]. China, 112694070A[P]. 2023 - 12 - 22.
[8] HONG J, HAN Z W, NING X Q, et al. Application of NAD⁺ as a Molecular Marker for Customized Development of Products for Diagnosing Female Genital Organ Discomfort[J]. China, 118109777A[P]. 2024 - 05 - 10.
