wat is mannitol used for? is it some sort of sweetner?????

Answer 1

Mannitol is used for swelling in the head, when your brain is swelling. We use it for people coming in with head traumas all the time.

Answer 2

It's a sugar alcohol. It's used as a sweetener for people with diabetes, but also for a lot of other things. Here's what wikipedia has to say:

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Mannitol is used mainly to reduce intracranial pressure in the cranium and to treat patients with oliguric renal failure. It is administered intravenously, and is filtered in the kidney. Given as a hypertonic solution, it increases distal tubule delivery of Na+ and water, resulting in increased urine formation.

Mannitol can also be used to open the blood-brain barrier by temporarily shrinking the tightly coupled endothelial cells that make up the barrier. This makes mannitol indispensable for delivering various drugs directly to the brain (e.g. in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease).

Mannitol is also used as a sweetener for people with diabetes. Since mannitol has a negative heat of solution, it is used as a sweetener in "breath-freshening" candies, the cooling effect adding to the fresh feel. In doses larger than 20g, mannitol acts as a laxative, and is sometimes sold as a laxative for children.

It is sometimes used as an adulterant for heroin, methamphetamines or other illicit drugs.

Mannitol can also be used to temporarily encapsulate a sharp object (such as a helix on a lead for an artificial pacemaker) while it is passing through the venous system. Because it dissolves readily in blood, the sharp point will become exposed by the time it reaches its destination.

Mannitol may be admininstered in cases of severe Ciguatera poisoning. Severe ciguatoxin, or "tropical fish poisoning" can produce stroke-like symptoms.

Mannitol is a non-permeating molecule i.e. it cannot cross biological membranes.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannitol
Click the link to read more!

Answer 3

Name
mannitol (Osmitrol®)

Class
Osmotic Diuretic

Description/Mechanism
Because of mannitol’s osmotic properties, it promotes the movement of fluid from the intracellular into the extracellular space. In emergency care, mannitol is used in the treatment of closed head injury to decrease cerebral edema and intracranial pressure, and in the promotion of urinary excretion of toxic substances.

Onset
Diuretic effect: 1-3 hours
Reduction of ICP: 15 min

Duration
Diuretic effect: 4-6 hours
Reduction of ICP: 3-8 hours

Indications
Cerebral edema
Other causes of increased intracranial pressure (space occupying lesions)
Rhabdomyolyses (myoglobinuria)
Blood transfusion reactions

Contraindications
Severe hypotension
Intracerebral hemmorhage
Profound hypovolemia
Dehydration
Hyponatremia
Pulmonary edema
CHF

Adverse Reactions
Transient volume overload
Pulmonary edema
Renal failure
CHF
Hypotension (from excessive diuresis)
Sodium depletion

Drug Interactions
When given concurrently with digitalis glycosides, an increase in digitalis toxicity may develop

Supplied
250 and 500 ml of a 20% solution for IV infusion (200 mg/ml), 25% solution in 50 ml for slow IV push.

Dose/Administration
Adult
IV Infusion: 0.5 g/kg in a 20% solution over 20 minutes.

Pediatric
IV Infusion: 0.2 – 0.5 g/kg/dose over 30-60 minutes (maximum 1 g/kg/dose)

Special Consideration
Pregnancy Safety: Category C
Hyperventilation should be supplemented with mannitol.
Mannitol may crystalize at low temperatures (~7.8 C) and may need to be warmed in boiling water until clear (cool to body temperature before use).

In-line filter should always be used.

Effectiveness depends on large doses and an intact blood-brain barrier.

The use of mannitol and its dosages in emergency care are controversial.

Answer 4

Mannitol is or was sold OTC as a baby laxative.

Mannitol has a long history of use in street drugs, where it
is used to cut or "step on" drugs, thus increasing volume
and thus profits.

Mannitol is used as an artificial sweetener, and is commonly used in sugar free breath mints.

Mannitol is also used medicinally as a diuretic, and as an
IV flush. It also has properties which cause it to help
deliver IV drugs through a patient's body.

Mannitol is used to reduce cranial pressure is also used in treatments of some renal disorders.

Source: stuff I knew (baby lax, cutting street drugs, sweetener, diuretic)

Otherwise:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannitol

Answer 5

Mannitol is a diuretic and used as filler to cut street drugs with like cocaine. I am unaware of it's use as a sweetener but will look it up.

Okay, mannitol is a sugar alcohol. It is used as a sweetener with half the sweetness of sugar.

Answer 6

From search engine - Mannitol is used mainly to reduce intracranial pressure in the cranium and to treat patients with oliguric renal failure. It is administered intravenously, and is filtered in the kidney. Given as a hypertonic solution, it increases distal tubule delivery of Na+ and water, resulting in increased urine formation

Answer 7

Baby Laxative Mannitol

Answer 8

mannitol is a slightly sweet crystalline alcohol [C6H14O6] found in many plants and used especially as a diuretic and in testing kidney function.

Answer 9

mannitol is an osmotic diuretic( helps the body lose water) It also used to cut cocaine.

Answer 10

plasma expander
preventing brain edema.
also as sweetener.


it is given intravenously in the icu to elevate the blood pressure in patients who for example lossed a lot of blood ,it absorbs fluid and gives more effect than say normal saline.
it absorbs water from the brain and prevents it from swelling which could prove lethal in some head injuries .