Inositols

Inositol is categorized as a vitamin-like compound and has various functions in animals and plants, and has been shown to be one of important bioactive compounds significantly involved in cell proliferation and oncogenesis.¹⁾ There are a total of 9 stereoisomers for inositol, and among them, myo-inositol has been most investigated.

It is well known that phosphorylated myo-inositol plays an important role as a secondary messenger in intracellular signal transduction.²⁾ myo-Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate has been shown to increase intracellular calcium concentrations, while myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetraphosphate has been shown to stimulate calcium uptake from extracellular fluid through the plasma membrane. Although many polyphosphorylated myo-inositols have recently been discoverd, the amount of these compounds present in nature is too small and so isolation and purification are difficult. Because of this, it still remains undefined how these compounds exert their bioactivity.

On the other hand, there are several reports demonstrating certain causal relationships between myo-inositol concentrations in the brain and diseases. Concentrations of inositol in the brain are elevated in patients with Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease. Moreover, it has been proposed that the action mechanism of lithium, an agent well known for the treatment of bipolar disorders, is caused by depleting inositol from its intracellular storage.³⁾

Recently, accumulating evidence has revealed that several stereoisomers other than myo-inositol are present in the body, and their bioactivities have been vigorously investigated.⁴⁾ These isomers are expected to have important physiological activities as the analogs, agonists or antagonists of myo-inositol.⁵⁾

We have developed 7 inositol stereoisomers, 1 inosose, an oxidized form, and 3 quercitols in reduced forms. All are now are commercially available and are the highest quality reagents. Please try them in your research.