NAD, NADH, NADP and NADPH: Coenzyme Forms, Salt Types and Bulk Supply

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The nicotinamide coenzyme family – NAD, NADH, NADP and NADPH – sits underneath a large share of industrial biocatalysis, in vitro diagnostic chemistry and, more recently, the NAD+ precursor trade. Buyers who come to this page usually have one of three questions: which oxidation state they need, which salt form dissolves and behaves correctly in their system, and whether to buy powder or solution. This page puts the whole family on one screen and links to the specification page of each grade.

The family at a glance

Product CAS State Phosphorylated Forms supplied Typical buyer question
NAD (Nadide) 53-84-9 Oxidised No 85% min solution; 98% min powder; 99% min food-grade powder “Which assay basis am I comparing?”
NADH disodium 606-68-8 Reduced No 98% min powder “Is it the disodium salt or the free acid?”
NADP free acid 53-59-8 Oxidised Yes 98% min powder “Do I need the salt to dissolve it?”
NADP monosodium 1184-16-3 Oxidised Yes 98% min powder “How much sodium is acceptable in my buffer?”
NADP disodium 24292-60-2 Oxidised Yes 75% min solution; 98% min powder “Solution or powder, and priced on which basis?”
NADPH free acid 53-57-6 Reduced Yes 98% min powder “Can I avoid adding sodium?”
NADPH tetrasodium 2646-71-1 Reduced Yes 95% min powder “Will four sodium per mole disturb my reaction?”
β-NMN 1094-61-7 Precursor – 99% min crystalline powder “Is this the β-anomer and is it a coenzyme or a precursor?”
Nicotinamide riboside chloride 23111-00-4 Precursor – 98% min powder “Is the chloride content in range?”

Dimension 1: oxidation state decides the reaction direction

The oxidised forms (NAD, NADP) are the substrates that accept electrons; the reduced forms (NADH, NADPH) donate them. In a coupled assay the choice is made for you by the enzyme and by which direction you measure:

What you measure Coenzyme to start with Signal
Formation of reduced coenzyme (dehydrogenase acting on a substrate) NAD or NADP Absorbance increases at 340 nm
Consumption of reduced coenzyme NADH or NADPH Absorbance decreases at 340 nm
Reduction step driven by a recycling system Small catalytic amount of NAD(H) or NADP(H) plus a regeneration substrate Coenzyme is regenerated in situ; cost per mole of product, not per mole of coenzyme, is what matters

Both reduced forms absorb at 340 nm and both oxidised forms absorb at 260 nm. If your SOP quotes a molar extinction coefficient, it is almost always the 340 nm figure of the reduced form – confirm which one before you convert an absorbance into a concentration.

Dimension 2: phosphorylation decides which enzyme family will accept it

NAD(H) and NADP(H) are not interchangeable. Phosphorylated coenzymes serve anabolic and detoxification enzymes (P450 monooxygenases, glutathione reductase, dihydrofolate reductase); non-phosphorylated coenzymes serve catabolic dehydrogenases (alcohol dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase). A reaction that stalls after you switch supplier is more often a switched coenzyme family than a purity problem – check the CAS on the label first.

Salt forms: same molecule, different sodium load

Form CAS Sodium per mole Molecular weight Practically
NADP free acid 53-59-8 0 743.4 Slowest to dissolve; titrate to pH yourself
NADP monosodium 1184-16-3 1 765.4 Low-sodium systems that still need a soluble salt
NADP disodium 24292-60-2 2 787.4 Standard commercial form; fastest route into a reaction
NADPH free acid 53-57-6 0 745.4 Sodium-free reducing agent
NADPH tetrasodium 2646-71-1 4 833.3 Fast dissolution, highest sodium load
NADH disodium 606-68-8 2 709.4 Normal form for assays and biocatalysis

Every salt conversion must be done in moles, not milligrams. 745.4 g of NADPH free acid carries the same coenzyme as 833.3 g of the tetrasodium salt – a 12% weight difference that a protocol written in mg/mL will silently absorb.

Precursors are not coenzymes

β-NMN and nicotinamide riboside chloride are NAD+ precursors: the body converts them into NAD+ intracellularly. They are not coenzymes and they are not substitutes for NAD in an enzyme reaction, because they do not bind a dehydrogenase coenzyme site. The two precursor grades are also held to a different specification logic: for NMN, the anomer ratio matters (only the β-anomer is the natural precursor); for NR-Cl, the chloride content is the identity check (theoretical 12.19% for C11H15ClN2O5).

Powder or solution?

Consideration Powder Aqueous solution
Assay basis on the COA Dry basis, HPLC Per kg of solution
Stability in storage Better: store at -20 °C, sealed and dry Shorter; keep at 2-8 °C, protect from light, avoid freeze-thaw
Handling in production Weighing step, hygroscopic, dust control needed Direct dosing, no dissolution step
Freight cost Lower per mole shipped You are shipping water; check cost per mole, not per kilogram
Best fit Inventory you will use over months; building your own buffer Continuous or high-throughput processes that consume the lot quickly

Where a supplier offers the same coenzyme in both forms, the solution is usually quoted at a lower percentage than the powder – 85% against 98%, for example. That is not a discount: the figures are on different bases and the solution may be the more expensive option per mole of coenzyme delivered.

What to put on the purchase order

Item Why it matters for this family
CAS number and salt form 53-59-8, 1184-16-3 and 24292-60-2 are the same coenzyme; only the counter-ion differs. Name both the CAS and the form.
Assay value and its basis Dry basis or in-solution; HPLC or enzymatic. Two quotes are not comparable until the basis matches.
Water content and residual solvents The coenzymes are hygroscopic; a 98% assay on a damp lot delivers less coenzyme than a 96% assay on a dry one.
Microbial and endotoxin limits Required for IVD reagent and cell-based work; usually not stated unless you ask.
Cold chain and packaging Powder at -20 °C, solution at 2-8 °C; agree the shipping temperature and the pack size before the quote is fixed.

Applications map

  • Biocatalysis and cell-free synthesis – NAD(H) and NADP(H) with a regeneration system (glucose/GDH, formate/FDH, phosphite dehydrogenase, isopropanol/ADH). Choose the coenzyme family by the enzyme, then the salt form by the sodium budget of the reaction.
  • In vitro diagnostics – NADH and NAD as the co-substrate pair in enzyme-coupled IFCC methods; NADPH for reductase-based assays. Regulatory expectations for IVD raw materials are stricter than for general reagents, so ask for the documentation package early.
  • Research – redox biochemistry, NAD+ metabolism, oxidative-stress models.
  • Nutraceutical and cosmetic ingredients – β-NMN and NR-Cl only, and only where the destination market permits the use.

Regulatory note

Coenzymes sold as reagents or industrial raw materials do not carry food or drug status. The two precursor grades sit under different rules again, and those rules differ by market – in some jurisdictions β-NMN is not permitted as a food ingredient at all. Nothing on this page is a therapeutic or anti-ageing claim, and no health benefit is implied for any grade listed. Confirm the position for your destination and end use before ordering.

Where to go next

PolyBlueChem supplies the nicotinamide coenzyme family – NAD, NADH, NADP and NADPH in the salt form and grade you specify, plus β-NMN and NR-Cl – with per-batch COA and SDS and FOB/CIF delivery. Send your CAS, salt form, assay basis, quantity and destination, and we will come back with the grade that matches.

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