from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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]