Human Biochemistry, Volume 1 - Murray R. 1993

Bioenergetics, Carbohydrate and Lipid Metabolism
Metabolism of the Most Important Hexoses
Biomedical Significance

The main metabolic pathways ensuring glucose utilization are Glycolysis and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway. Although quantitatively minor, The formation of glucuronic acid from glucose (the Uronic Acid Pathway) is crucially important for The excretion of Metabolic waste products and foreign substances (xenobiotics) as glucuronides. Inefficiency of this pathway leads to essential pentosuria. The complete absence of a specific enzyme in this pathway in primates and guinea pigs explains why ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is an essential dietary component for humans, unlike most other mammals. Insufficient activity of Enzymes involved in FRUCTOSE AND GALACTOSE METABOLISM results in Metabolic Disorders such as essential fructosuria and galactosemia. Fructose is used for parenteral Nutrition; however, at high concentrations, it can cause a decrease in hepatic adenine nucleotide levels and lead to necrotic Liver damage.



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