Mannitol

Mannitol is a white, crystalline organic compound. Mannitol is the primary ingredient of Mannitol Salt Agar. This polyol is used as an osmotic diuretic agent and a weak renal vasodilator.

 

In Medical

1. Mannitol is used clinically in osmotherapy to reduce acutely raised intracranial pressure until more definitive treatment can be applied, e.g., after head trauma. It is also used to treat patients with oliguric renal failure.
2. Mannitol can also be used as a facilitating agent for the transportation of pharmaceuticals directly into the brain.

3. Mannitol is commonly used in the circuit prime of a heart lung machine during cardiopulmonary bypass. The presence of mannitol preserves renal function during the times of low blood flow and pressure, while the patient is on bypass.

4. Mannitol is also the first drug of choice for the treatment of acute glaucoma in veterinary medicine.

5. Mannitol can also be used to temporarily encapsulate a sharp object (such as a helix on a lead for an artificial pacemaker) while it is passed through the venous system.

In foods

1. Mannitol does not stimulate an increase in blood glucose, and is therefore used as a sweetener for people with diabetes, and in chewing gums.
2. Mannitol is very useful as a coating for hard candies, dried fruits, and chewing gums, and it is often included as an ingredient in candies and chewing gum.
3. The pleasant taste and mouthfeel of mannitol also makes it a popular excipient for chewable tablets.