Plural of cyclitol; organic compounds that are ring-shaped (cyclic) sugar-like molecules with multiple hydroxyl groups, found in plants and used in biochemistry.
From 'cycl-' (Greek kyklos, ring) + '-itol' (suffix for polyhydroxy alcohols, from Greek 'hydor' meaning water). These compounds were identified in the late 19th century during the study of plant sugars.
Cyclitols like inositol are hidden in your body right now—your cells use them to send signals and manage cell growth, which is why people sometimes take inositol supplements thinking it'll help their mood or metabolism.
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