Skip to content
MS
PW-035 Carbohydrate Metabolism Catabolic (minor) unreviewed

Sorbitol / Polyol Pathway

Glucose Fructose (via sorbitol)
Compartment
Cytosol
Main tissue
Lens, retina, kidney, Schwann cells, seminal vesicle
Rate-limiting
Aldose reductase (AKR1B1)
Steps
2

Reaction steps

In source order, 2 total

showing 1–2
  1. 1

    Glucose + NADPH + H+ -> sorbitol + NADP+

    Aldose reductase (AKR1B1) 1.1.1.21 ST-0299 Irreversible/directional rate-limiting NADPH
    Notes

    Rate-limiting. High Km for glucose, so flux rises sharply in hyperglycaemia. Also reduces galactose to galactitol.

  2. 2

    Sorbitol + NAD+ -> fructose + NADH + H+

    Notes

    Absent or low in lens, retina, kidney and Schwann cells, so sorbitol is trapped there; osmotic damage underlies diabetic cataract, retinopathy and neuropathy. Seminal vesicles use this route to make fructose for sperm.

Showing all 2 steps.

Recent literature

Live Europe PMC search

Europe PMC · from cache · sorted by publication date

  1. 1
    Glycemic status, antioxidant enzyme and lipid peroxidation among patients with diabetes mellitus in Buea Regional Hospital in Cameroon.

    Ojong EW, Nyake Mbu Akime LB, Tambe AB, Seukep AJ, Ofon EA, Akwa TC, Sawah CN. · 2026-06-01

    open access unreviewed
  2. 2
    Medicinal Perspective of 2,4-Thiazolidinediones Derivatives: An Insight into Recent Advancements.

    Gupta S, Jha S, Rani S, Arora P, Kumar S. · 2024-09-09

    cited 11× open access unreviewed
  3. 3
    Urine metabolomics signature reveals novel determinants of adrenal suppression in children taking inhaled corticosteroids to control asthma symptoms.

    Tran DT, Chen Y, Zheng Y, Hecker J, Hawcutt DB, Pirmohamed M, Lasky-Su J, Wu AC, Tantisira KG, McGeachie MJ, … · 2024-07-01

    cited 3× open access unreviewed
  4. 4
    Methylglyoxal in Cardiometabolic Disorders: Routes Leading to Pathology Counterbalanced by Treatment Strategies.

    Berdowska I, Matusiewicz M, Fecka I. · 2023-11-24

    cited 10× open access unreviewed
  5. 5
    Redox Balance in Type 2 Diabetes: Therapeutic Potential and the Challenge of Antioxidant-Based Therapy.

    Argaev-Frenkel L, Rosenzweig T. · 2023-04-25

    cited 20× open access unreviewed
  6. 6
    Diabetic vascular diseases: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

    Li Y, Liu Y, Liu S, Gao M, Wang W, Chen K, Huang L, Liu Y. · 2023-04-10

    cited 392× open access unreviewed
  7. 7
    On the interdependence of ketone body oxidation, glycogen content, glycolysis and energy metabolism in the heart.

    Kadir AA, Stubbs BJ, Chong CR, Lee H, Cole M, Carr C, Hauton D, McCullagh J, Evans RD, Clarke K. · 2023-03-01

    cited 26× open access unreviewed
  8. 8
    Emerging Therapy for Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: From Molecular Mechanism to Clinical Practice.

    Hsuan CF, Teng SIF, Hsu CN, Liao D, Chang AJ, Lee HL, Hee SW, Chang YC, Chuang LM. · 2023-02-22

    cited 15× open access unreviewed
  9. 9
    Metabolic reprogramming: A novel therapeutic target in diabetic kidney disease.

    Wang M, Pang Y, Guo Y, Tian L, Liu Y, Shen C, Liu M, Meng Y, Cai Z, Wang Y, Zhao W. · 2022-09-02

    cited 24× open access unreviewed
  10. 10
    Aging of the Peritoneal Dialysis Membrane.

    Krediet RT. · 2022-04-28

    cited 9× open access unreviewed

External claims. These come from an index outside this database and are not checked against it. Treat them as leads.