sorbitol

Sorbitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol (polyol) that occurs naturally in various fruits and is widely used as a bulk sweetener, humectant, and pharmaceutical excipient. Therapeutically, it is primarily utilized as an osmotic laxative, administered either orally or rectally to treat constipation by increasing intraluminal water retention and stimulating peristalsis. Beyond its traditional use, sorbitol is being investigated for its metabolic effects, such as the induction of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) to suppress sugar appetite and prevent obesity. Additionally, clinical research is exploring the use of sorbitol-supplemented diets to enhance the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer by modulating the polyol pathway and immune response.

Other names

glucitolD-sorbitolE420E-420E 420山梨糖醇