arabinitol
|a-ra-bi-ni-tol|
🇺🇸
/ˌærəˈbɪnɪtəl/
🇬🇧
/ˌærəˈbɪnɪtɒl/
sugar alcohol from arabinose
Etymology
'arabinitol' originates from Modern English chemical formation, specifically from the sugar name 'arabinose' + the suffix '-itol', where 'arabin-' referred to 'gum arabic' (ultimately from Arabic) and '-itol' denotes a sugar alcohol.
'arabinitol' was formed in modern chemical nomenclature by reducing the sugar name 'arabinose' to indicate the corresponding sugar alcohol; 'arabinose' itself was named after gum arabic (Medieval Latin/French forms related to Arabic sources) and the modern compound name arose in 19th–20th century biochemical literature.
Initially the root element referred to a substance associated with 'gum arabic', but over time the term has come to mean specifically 'a sugar alcohol derived from arabinose' in chemical and medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a sugar alcohol (a pentitol) produced by reduction of arabinose; found in nature and sometimes produced by fungi (e.g., Candida). Elevated arabinitol levels in biological fluids can be used as a biochemical marker of fungal infection.
The laboratory reported elevated arabinitol levels in the patient's urine, which suggested a possible Candida overgrowth.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/31 20:44