Introduction

A 6 carbon sugar alcohol (sugar with an "-OH" functional group attached). Sorbitol can be obtained from the sugar glucose by reduction of its carbonyl group (functional group). Sorbitol occurs naturally in different fruits.

In foods, sorbitol is used as a sweetening agent, in place of other sugars. Sorbitol is also used in the hospital setting as an intravenous osmotic diuretic (diuresis, or causing to form urine). Sorbitol is also found deposited onto the lens of the eye in diatbetes mallitus, but is also a precursor for fructose in the seminal plasma (male reproductive systeM).