Glucosamine
Glucosamine
Glucosamine (/ɡluːˈkɒsəmiːn/) is an amino sugar and a prominent precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. Glucosamine is part of the structure of the polysaccharides chitosan and chitin, which compose the exoskeletons of crustaceans and other arthropods, cell walls in fungi and many higher organisms.
Etymology
The term "glucosamine" is derived from the Greek words glukos meaning "sweet" and amine which is an organic compound that contains nitrogen as the key atom.
Synthesis
Glucosamine is naturally present in the human body, mainly in the fluid around the joints. For commercial use, it is harvested from shells of shellfish or can be made in the laboratory. It can be found in many forms, including glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, and N-acetyl glucosamine.
Medical Uses
Glucosamine is commonly taken in combination with chondroitin, a substance derived from cartilage. It is used to improve symptoms and slow the progression of osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease. However, the effectiveness of glucosamine in treating osteoarthritis is still under debate in the medical community.
Related Terms
- Chondroitin
- Osteoarthritis
- Amino sugar
- Glycosylated proteins
- Lipids
- Polysaccharides
- Crustaceans
- Arthropods
- Fungi
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Glucosamine
- Wikipedia's article - Glucosamine
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski