1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexahydroxycyclohexane; a member of the vitamin B complex necessary for growth of yeast and of mice; absence from the diet causes alopecia and dermatitis in mice and “spectacle eyes” in rats. It occurs in a number of stereoisomeric forms: cis-, epi-, allo-, neo-, myo-, muco-, chiro-, and scyllo-inositols; the most abundant naturally occurring i. is myo-i. (usually meant when “i.” occurs without a prefix). SYN: antialopecia factor, inose, inosite, lipositol, mouse antialopecia factor.
- i. niacinate a peripheral vasodilator.
- i. 1,3,4,5-tetraphosphate a phosphorylated derivative of i. formed from i. 1,4,5-trisphosphate that causes Ca2+ entry into the cytosol from the extracellular medium; inactivated by hydrolysis to form i. 1,3,4-trisphosphate.
- i. 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) a second messenger formed from phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate; triggers the release of calcium ions from special vesicles of the endoplasmic reticulum; has a role in the activation of neutrophils.
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ino·si·tol in-'ō-sə-.tȯl, ī-'nō-, -.tōl n any of several crystalline stereoisomeric cyclic alcohols C6H12O6 esp MYOINOSITOL
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n.
a compound, similar to a hexose sugar, that is a constituent of some cell phospholipids. Inositol is present in many foods, in particular in the bran of cereal grain. It is sometimes classified as a vitamin but it can be synthesized by most animals and there is no evidence that it is an essential nutrient in humans.
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ino·si·tol (ĭ-noґsĭ-tol) a cyclic sugar alcohol, the fully hydroxylated derivative of cyclohexane, occurring naturally in a variety of stereoisomers, particularly the myo-isomer. Used alone, the term usually denotes this isomer.Medical dictionary. 2011.