Abstract: A composition, either as a nutritional supplement or pharmaceutical, for the treatment of oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and related disease states which comprises administration of D-chiroinositol (DCI) congeners, acting as an antioxidant or glucose uptake promoter and metabolic normalizer, is disclosed. A composition of treating oxidative stress comprising administration of DCI is also disclosed. The administration of DCI derivatives comprises administering to the whole animal a dose in an amount sufficient to normalize blood glucose and triglycerides and to ameliorate endothelial dysfunction. The administration can be an oral, injectable, intranasal, or patch dosage forms. DCI is found in the food chain and has been shown to be very safe in large doses and, therefore, the amounts sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic antioxidant effect will be low relative to the amounts reaching toxic levels. Therefore, DCI can be administered orally as a prophylactic nutritional supplement.

Abstract: A composition, either as a nutritional supplement or pharmaceutical, for the treatment of oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and related disease states which comprises administration of D-chiroinositol (DCI) congeners, acting as an antioxidant or glucose uptake promoter and metabolic normalizer, is disclosed. A composition of treating oxidative stress comprising administration of DCI is also disclosed. The administration of DCI derivatives comprises administering to the whole animal a dose in an amount sufficient to normalize blood glucose and triglycerides and to ameliorate endothelial dysfunction. The administration can be an oral, injectable, intranasal, or patch dosage forms. DCI is found in the food chain and has been shown to be very safe in large doses and, therefore, the amounts sufficient to achieve the desired therapeutic antioxidant effect will be low relative to the amounts reaching toxic levels. Therefore, DCI can be administered orally as a prophylactic nutritional supplement.

Abstract: Compounds are disclosed which have the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 -R.sub.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of: (a) a hydrogen atom; and (b) a lower alkyl group, straight or branched chain, having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; or R.sub.1 -R.sub.2 and the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded may together form a heterocyclic group; R.sub.3 -R.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new method for screening for insulin resistance that utilizes both myoinositol and chiroinositol as indicators. According to this method, levels of myoinositol and D-chiroinositol are measured. The value of the concentration of myoinositol is divided by that of D-chiroinositol to give a "myo/chiro ratio." The value of this ratio is compared with a value that is characteristic of insulin resistance. If the characteristic value is equaled or exceeded, insulin resistance is indicated.

Abstract: A synthetic insulin mimetic compound is disclosed. Small synthetic amines of disaccharides, such as 2-deoxy-2-amino-galactopyranosyl pinitol are shown to mimic the action of insulin and to modulate its action.

Abstract: An enhanced quantitative assay for chiro-inositol concentration can be used to determine insulin-resistance, or a predisposition to the development of insulin-resistance, in type I and type II diabetics. Spot urine or serum samples reflecting concentrations of chiro-inositol below about 1.0 micrograms/ml in urine or 0.1 micrograms/ml in serum are indicative of a predisposition to the development of insulin-resistance, while concentrations below about 0.3 micrograms/ml or 0.03 micrograms/ml in serum are associated with actual insulin-resistance symptoms. The assay can be employed for patient diagnosis, insulin therapy monitoring, and family screening.

Abstract: A method of treating a cluster of diseases associated with elevated blood sugar levels comprising the administration of a dietary supplement of chiro-inositol. Chiro-inositol is an essential element for the synthesis of an insulin-directed mediator apparently responsible for the activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase-phosphatase. Disease conditions commonly associated with insulin-resistance, such as hypertension, lactic acidosis, obesity, coronary artery disease, and the like, are treated by administration of sufficient chiro-inositol to meet normal metabolic levels.

Abstract: An enhanced quantitative assay for chiro-inositol concentration can be used to determine insulin-resistance, or a predeposition to the development of insulin-resistance, in type I and type II diabetics. Spot urine or serum samples reflecting concentrations of chiro-inositol below about 1.0 micrograms/ml in urine or 0.1 micrograms/ml in serum are indicative of a predisposition to the development of insulin-resistance, while concentrations below about 0.3 micrograms/ml or 0.03 micrograms/ml in serum are associated with actual insulin-resistance symptoms. The assay can be employed for patient diagnosis, insulin therapy monitoring, and family screening.

Abstract: A dietary supplement for the therapeutic treatment of those exhibiting clinical symptoms of insulin-resistant type II diabetes, and preventing the development of clinical symptoms in those genetically predisposed to the development of such symptoms, is provided by the administration of a dietary supplement comprising D-chiro-inositol. The dietary supplement is preferably administered orally, in vitamin-like amounts.

Abstract: A method for purifying two distinct insulin mediators to substantial homogeneity, and relative purity values above 80%, comprises adsorption on first anion exchange resin and subsequently on a chelex cation exchange resin column. The chelex resin ion exchange column substantially increases the activity of the recovered mediator. Following purification, the already treated fraction is subjected to three successive thin layer chromatography purification steps, the last giving, in the presence of ninhydrin stain, a characteristic salmon-color spot, which is indicative of the presence of the mediator. This process can also be used as a screening process, the absence of the salmon-colored spot being indicative of the diabetic state. Structure information on the insulin mediators obtained is given.

Abstract: Kasugamycin has been recognized to be a source from which D-chiro-inositol can be easily obtained at low cost and high yield.

Abstract: An insulin mediator substance produced by the process comprising: contacting muscle tissue with insulin; deproteinizing the muscle tissue; removing the major nucleotides from the deproteinized muscle tissue; chromatographing the so-treated product on a Sephadex G-25 column using 0.05 N formic acid; and recovering the fraction wherein the major 230-nm absorbance peak corresponds with the ninhydrin-positive peak.