Glycerol

A trihydric alcohol, (CIT2OH-CHOH- CH201T), also known as glycerine. Simple or neutral fats are esters of glycerol with three molecules of fatty acid, i.e. triacylglycerols, sometimes known as triglycerides.


A three-carbon monosaccharide that, when phosphorylated, provides the backbone for the synthesis of triglycerides.


Glycerol is a water-soluble, 3-carbon alcohol molecule with hydroxyl groups attached to each carbon. It is an important intermediate in metabolism and can be used for the synthesis of carbohydrates as well as lipids. Perhaps most notably, glycerol is the 3-carbon backbone of mono-, di-, and triglycerides as well as glycero-phosphatides, a group of phospholipids. Although glycerol can be eaten as part of many molecules, it is also synthesized within the body and is not an essential nutrient.


A clear, viscous liquid produced as a by-product in the making of soap; a component of fats. Also known as glycerin, glycerol is used by pharmaceutical companies as an emollient in many skin preparations, as a laxative, and as a sweetening agent.


One of the constituent elements of the triglyceride molecule is utilized for both the process of gluconeogenesis and the retention of water.


Glycerol is a colorless, sweet-tasting, syrup-like liquid. It’s a crucial component of triglycerides, or simple fats, in the body and can also be commercially produced from fats and oils. Glycerol is used in moisturizing creams to prevent skin dryness and cracking. Additionally, it’s used in eardrops to soften earwax, in cough remedies to alleviate a dry, irritable cough, and in rectal suppositories to ease constipation by softening hard stools.


 

 


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