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Glucuronolactone



Glucuronolactone[1]
IUPAC name (2R)-2-[(2S,3R,4S)-3,4-Dihydroxy-5-oxo -tetrahydrofuran-2-yl]-2-hydroxy-acetaldehyde
Other names Glucuronic acid lactone
Identifiers
CAS number 32449-92-6
PubChem 92283
SMILES C(=O)[C@@H]([C@@H]1[C@@H] ([C@@H](C(=O)O1)O)O)O
Properties
Molecular formula C6H8O6
Molar mass 176.124
Melting point

176-178 °C

Solubility in water 26.9 g/100 mL
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

Glucuronolactone is a naturally occurring chemical compound produced by the metabolism of glucose in the human liver. It is an important structural component of nearly all connective tissues.[1] Glucuronolactone is also found in many plant gums.

It has received some notoriety due to urban legends that it was a Vietnam War-era drug manufactured by the American government. The rumor goes on to say that it was banned due to several brain tumor-related deaths. The rumor has since been proven false, as neither the cited British Medical Journal article nor the "banning of its consumption" ever occurred. Furthermore, no warnings appear on the Food and Drug Administration website regarding its potential to cause brain tumors or other maladies.[2]

Glucuronolactone is present in many energy drinks. Most of these drinks also contain caffeine, but glucuronolactone is included because it is purported to fight fatigue and provide a sense of well-being. According to "The Merck Index" (14th edition) it is also used as detoxicant.[3]


See also

References

  1. ^ a b Merck Index, 11th Edition, 4362.
  2. ^ Bull Marketed, Snopes.
  3. ^ The Merck Index, 14th ed., page 771, compound number 4467
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Glucuronolactone". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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