Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of nine isomeric alcohols, C6H12O6·2H2O, especially one found in plant and animal tissue and classified as a member of the vitamin B complex.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (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.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun biochemistry any of several isomeric cyclic polyhydric alcohols, C6H12O6, found in both plant and animal tissue.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an optically inactive alcohol that is a component of the vitamin B complex

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek īs, īn-, sinew; see wei- in Indo-European roots + –os(e) + –it(e) + –ol.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek stem of ἴς (is, in-, "sinew, fiber") +-ose ("indicating a carbohydrate") + -ite ("ester") +‎ -ol (“an alcohol”)

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word inositol.

Examples

  • Professor Shamsuddin had done a lot of research into a protein called inositol, which is found on the inner wall of rice grains.

    Medicine for the soul 2004

  • In particular, they thrive on a sugar called inositol which is abundant in the human brain and spinal cord.

    Science Blog BJS 2010

  • # Eliminates the red face with a special form of vitamin B-3 known as inositol hexaniacinate.

    Wil's Ebay E-Store amp;34;Nutrition 2010

  • In addition, be aware that lithium carbonate, used for treating bipolar illness, depletes folic acid (take 800 mcg) and inositol (take 500 mg bid).

    Hyla Cass, M.D.: Is Your Medication Robbing You of Nutrients Part 2: Getting Specific M.D. Hyla Cass 2010

  • There has been a report of inositol worsening bipolar disorder, and I do not recommend it if you have that condition.

    The Chemistry of Calm M.D. Henry Emmons 2010

  • Researchers found inositol to be just as effective as a popular antidepressant for panic disorder, and participants tolerated it well even at massive doses up to 18 grams per day.30

    The Chemistry of Calm M.D. Henry Emmons 2010

  • It is also known as niacin (nicotinic acid) and has two other forms, niacinamide (nicotinamide) and inositol hexanicotinate.

    Forever Young M.D. Nicholas Perricone 2010

  • You can tone down the effects of norepinephrine by taking the amino acid L-theanine, the antioxidant NAC, inositol, and the omega-3 fatty acids.

    The Chemistry of Calm M.D. Henry Emmons 2010

  • In addition, be aware that lithium carbonate, used for treating bipolar illness, depletes folic acid (take 800 mcg) and inositol (take 500 mg bid).

    Hyla Cass, M.D.: Is Your Medication Robbing You of Nutrients Part 2: Getting Specific M.D. Hyla Cass 2010

  • If the main type of anxiety is panic, I may recommend inositol.

    The Chemistry of Calm M.D. Henry Emmons 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.