Question: NADPH stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate but what do those big words mean?
Answer: NADPH is the reduced form of NADP (ie has an H attached)
It is composed of a nicotinamide molecule which is attached to a ribose which is attached to a phosphate (this is one nucleotide). This is attached to a phosphate which is attached to a ribose phosphate which is attached to an adenine (the second nuleotide).
Hence the name nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate.
When NADP is reduced to NADPH the H is added to the nicotinamide part.
See link for a clear labelled diagram - http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/Bio1…
