Myo-inositol

Myo-inositol is a type of sugar alcohol that is used by the human body as a structural basis for a number of secondary messengers in eukaryotic cells, including inositol phosphates, phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids. It is found in many foods, in particular, in cereals with high bran content, nuts, seeds, beans, and fruit, especially cantaloupe melons and oranges.

Chemistry

Myo-inositol is a cyclohexanehexol, a sixfold alcohol (polyol) of cyclohexane. It has a direct relationship with glucose. It is a carbohydrate, though not a classical sugar. It has a sweet taste; its sweetness is 0.6 times that of sucrose.

Biological significance

Myo-inositol plays an important role in the phosphoinositide signal transduction pathways. It also serves as an important component of the structural lipids phosphatidylinositol (PI) and its various phosphates, the phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids.

Health effects

Myo-inositol has been found to have modest effects on a variety of conditions, including diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, depression, schizophrenia, autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, bulimia, panic disorder, and lung cancer. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.

See also

• Inositol
• Phosphatidylinositol phosphates
• Phosphoinositide 3-kinase
• Inositol trisphosphate
• Inositol pentakisphosphate

Myo-inositol Resources
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