inositol

inositol i*no"si*tol ([i^]*n[o^]s"[i^]*t[o^]l), n. [Gr. 'i`s, 'ino`s, strength, muscle.] (Physiol. Chem.) A white crystalline substance ({C6H12O6}) with a sweet taste, widely distributed in certain animal tissues and fluids, particularly in the muscles of the heart and lungs, and also in some plants, as in unripe pease, beans, potato sprouts, etc. Although isomeric with dextrose, it has no carbonyl (aldehyde or ketone) group, and is therefore not a carbohydrate, but a derivative of cyclohexane. Called also {inosite}, {cyclohexitol}, {cyclohexanehexol}, {hexahydroxycyclohexane} and {phaseomannite}. There are nine possible steroisomers, not all of which are found naturally. The predominate natural form is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, also called {myo-inositol}. The naturally occurring phytic acid in plants is the hexaphosphate of inositol, from which inositol may be manufactured; phytin is the calcium-magnesium salt of phytic acid. It is also a component of phosphatidylinositol. --MI11 [1913 Webster +PJC]