Compound

galactitol

A naturally occurring product of plants obtained following reduction of galactose. It appears as a white crystalline powder with a slight sweet taste. It may form in excess in the lens of the eye in galactosemias, a deficiency of galactokinase.

Definition from MeSH (D004376), National Library of Medicine, read 2026-09-23. NLM revises MeSH; this copy may not reflect its current record.

CHEBI:16813ChEBI

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Structure

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A generated conformer of galactitol — one low-energy arrangement PubChem computed, not a measured structure. Hydrogens are not drawn; the formula counts them.

Class: Organic compound
Formula: C6H14O6
Mass: 182.172 g/mol
Charge: 0
InChIKey: FBPFZTCFMRRESA-GUCUJZIJSA-N
SMILES: OC[C@@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@H](O)[C@@H](O)CO
Look it up: ChEBI PubChem By InChIKey

Identity from ChEBI, geometry from PubChem. Not evidence.

What it touches on the way

Mechanistic reach

1 entity

1 entities reached.

0 reported hops1 assembled from the scaffold

AKR1B1ProteinUNIPROT:P15121substrate ofInferred only44 paths22 endpoints

What the reference databases state

Statements

6 statements

6 statements · 2 reference databases · Subject: galactitol · Sources: Human-GEM, Rhea

Order

galactitol is converted to alpha-D-galactoseCompoundHuman-GEM MAR08766Inferred only
alpha-D-galactose is converted to galactitolCompoundHuman-GEM MAR08766Inferred only
galactitol is converted to D-galactoseCompoundRhea RHEA:37967Inferred only
D-galactose is converted to galactitolCompoundRhea RHEA:37967Inferred only
galactitol is a substrate of AKR1B1ProteinRhea RHEA:37967Inferred only
galactitol is a substrate of AKR1B1ProteinHuman-GEM MAR08766Inferred only

Reactions

9 reactions

alpha-D-galactose+proton+NADPH(4-)galactitol+NADP(3-)
Catalysed by AKR1B1
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedEC 1.1.1.21GO:0005829
Human-GEM MAR08766CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitolgalactitol
Reaction pageReversibleBalancedGO:0005829, GO:0005615
Human-GEM MAR10356CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol
Reaction pageReversibleBalance undeterminableGO:0005615
Human-GEM MAR11422CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol+NAD(1-)CHEBI:47693+NADH(2-)+hydron
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:20685CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitolgalactitol
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:33143CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol+NAD(1-)D-galactose+NADH(2-)+hydron
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:37963CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol+NADP(3-)D-galactose+NADPH(4-)+hydron
Catalysed by AKR1B1
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:37967CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol+N(pros)-phospho-L-histidyl-[protein]CHEBI:60083+L-histidyl-[protein]
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:49248CC BY 4.0Reference data
galactitol+NAD(1-)CHEBI:134275+NADH(2-)+hydron
Reaction pageDirection not assertedBalance undeterminable
Rhea RHEA:51688CC BY 4.0Reference data

Other names

10 names

Resolves to: galactitol

Also called: (2R,3S,4R,5S)-hexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexolD-DulcitolD-galactitolDulcitolDulcoseEuonymitL-galactitolMelampyrinMelampyrit
Systematic name: meso-galactitol