Definition for Mannitol
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Mannitol is a white, crystalline sugar alcohol with the chemical formula (C6H8(OH)6). It is used as an osmotic diuretic agent and a weak renal vasodilator. It was originally isolated from the secretions of the flowering ash, called manna after their resemblance to the Biblical food, and is also referred to as mannite and manna sugar. In plants, it is used to induce osmotic stress.