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INOSITOL
DEFINATON
A simple carbohydrate which occurs in animal and plant
tissue and is a vitamin of the B group.
CHEMICAL FORMULA

Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical

compound with formula C6H12O6 or (-CHOH-)6, a six-
fold alcohol (polyol) of cyclohexane

IUPAC NAME
(1R,2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-cyclohexane -1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol

INTRODUCTION
It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most
prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-
4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol (former names meso-
inositol or i-inositol).[2][3] Inositol is a sugar alcohol. Its taste has
been assayed at half the sweetness of table sugar (sucrose).
myo-Inositol plays an important role as the structural basis for a
number of secondary messengers in eukaryotic cells, the
various inositol phosphates. In addition, inositol serves as an
important component of the structural
lipids phosphatidylinositol (PI) and its various phosphates,
the phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids.
Inositol or its phosphates and associated lipids are found in many
foods, in particular fruit, especially cantaloupe and oranges.[4] In
plants, the hexaphosphate of inositol, phytic acid or its salts, the
phytates, are found. These serve as phosphate stores in the
seed. Phytic acid occurs also in cereals with high bran content
and also nuts and beans. Yet, inositol, when present as phytate,
is not directly bioavailable to humans in the diet, since it is not
digestible. Some food preparation techniques partly break down
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INOSITOL
phytates to change this. Inositol as it occurs in certain plant-
derived substances such as lecithin, however, is well-absorbed
and relatively bioavailable.
myo-inositol (free of phosphate) was once considered a member
of the vitamin B complex (formerly Vitamin B8); however, because
it is produced by the human body from glucose, it is not
an essential nutrient.[

STRUCTURE:

myo-inositol

ISOMERS:
The isomer myo-inositol is a meso compound possessing an
optically inactive plane of symmetry through the molecule (meso-
inositol is an obsolete name that refers to myo-inositol).
Besides myo-inositol, the other naturally occurring stereoisomers
(though in minimal quantities) are scyllo-, muco-, D-chiro-,
and neo-inositol. The other possible isomers are L-chiro-, allo-
, epi-, and cis-inositol. As their name denotes, the
two chiro inositols are the only pair of inositol enantiomers, but
they are enantiomers of each other, not of myo-inositol.
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INOSITOL

myo- scyllo- muco- chiro-

neo- allo- epi- cis-

In its most stable conformational geometry, the myo-inositol
isomer assumes the chair conformation, which puts the maximum
number of hydroxyls to the equatorial position,
where they are farthest apart from each other. In this
conformation, the natural myo isomer has a structure in which five
of the six hydroxyls (the first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth)
are equatorial, whereas the second hydroxyl group is axial.

FUNCTIONS
Inositol and some of its mono- and polyphosphates function
as the basis for a number of signaling and secondary messenger
molecules. They are involved in a number of biological processes,
including:

 Insulin signal transduction

 Cytoskeleton assembly
 Nerve guidance (epsin)
 Intracellular calcium (Ca2+) concentration control
 Cell membrane potential maintenance
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INOSITOL
[11]
 Breakdown of fats
 Gene expression

Phytic acid in plants;

Phytic acid (IP6 or phytate), a derivative of inositol with six
phosphate groups, is the principal storage form of phosphorus in
many plant tissues, especially bran and seed. Neither the inositol
nor the phosphate in phytic acid in plants is available to humans,
or to animals that are not ruminants, since it cannot be broken
down, except by bacteria. Moreover, phytic acid also chelates
important minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc,
making them unabsorbable, and contributing to mineral
deficiencies in people whose diets rely highly on bran and seeds
for their mineral intake, such as occurs in developing countries
Inositol penta-(IP5), tetra- (IP4), and triphosphate (IP3) are also
called "phytates".

Use in explosives manufacture;

At the 1936 meeting of the American Chemical Society, professor
Edward Bartow of the University of Iowa presented a
commercially viable means of extracting large amounts of inositol
from the phytic acid naturally present in waste corn. As a possible
use for the chemical, he suggested 'inositol nitrate' as a more
stable alternative to nitroglycerin.[17] Today, inositol nitrate is used
to gelatinize nitrocellulose, thus can be found in many modern
explosives and solid rocket propellants.

Counter to road salt;

When plants are exposed to increasing concentrations of road
salt, the plant cells become dysfunctional and undergo apoptosis,
leading to an inhibition of growth in plants. Inositol pretreatment
could reverse the effects of salt on plants.
Large doses of inositol have been studied for treatment of
depression: the evidence is insufficient to determine whether
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INOSITOL
inositol treatment can reduce depression symptoms, but no
evidence of harm or negative side effects is seen.
Inositol is effective in reducing adverse neonatal outcomes in
preterm babies who either have or are at a risk of developing
respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
Inositol is considered a safe and effective treatment for PCOS. It
works by increasing insulin sensitivity, which helps to improve
ovarian function and reduce hyperandrogenism. It is also shown
to reduce risk of metabolic disease.

Common use as a "cutting" agent;

Inositol has been used as an adulterant (or cutting agent) in many
illegal drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and
sometimes heroin. This use is presumed to be connected with
one or more of the substance's properties of solubility, powdery
texture, or reduced sweetness (50%) as compared with more
common sugars.
Inositol is also used as a stand-in for cocaine on television and in
film.

Nutritional sources;
myo-Inositol is naturally present in a variety of foods, although
tables of this do not always distinguish between the
bioavailable lecithin form, and the unavailable phytate form in
grains. According to research, foods containing the highest
concentrations of myo-inositol (including its compounds) include
fruits, beans, grains, and nuts Beans and grains, however, as
seeds, contain large amounts of inositol as phytate. Some energy
drinks also contain inositol.