"Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical compound with formula C6H12O6 or (-CHOH-)6, 
a sixfold alcohol (polyol) of cyclohexane. It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol (former name meso-inositol).[2][3] Inositol is a carbohydrate, though not a classical sugar. It is almost tasteless, with a small amount of sweetness."
"Myo-inositol plays an important role as the structural basis for a number of secondary messengers in eukaryotic cells, including inositol phosphates, phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylinositol phosphate (PIP) lipids. Inositol or its phosphates and associated lipids are found in many foods, in particular fruit, especially cantaloupe and oranges.[4] In plants, the hexaphosphate of inositol, phytic acid or its salts, the phytates, are found. Phytic acid occurs also in cereals with high bran content and also nuts and beans, but inositol as phytate is not directly bioavailable to humans in the diet, since it is not digestible (some food preparation techniques partly break down phytates to change this—see phytic acid for details). Inositol as it occurs in certain plant-derived substances such as lecithins, however, is well-absorbed and relatively bioavailable."