Galactose

Galactose has been used in trials studying the treatment and diagnosis of Hepatitis C, Hepatic Cancer, Wilsons Disease, Diabetic Macular Oedema, and Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, among others. There are even proposals for its use in accelerating senescence in mice, rats, and Drosophila, for its association with ovarian cancer, or even for the potential treatment of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Nevertheless, none of these ongoing studies have yet provided formal elucidation for their proposals.

As a naturally occurring sugar, it may be found in a number dairy products. Even then, however, it is not generally used as a sweetener considering it is only about 30% as sweet as sucrose. Regardless, although it is predominantly used as a pathway to generate glucose fuel for the human body, galactose is involved as an ingredient in some commonly used vaccines and non-prescription products.

There are limited therapeutic uses for which galactose is formally indicated. Some predominant indications include (a) the use of galactose to facilitate the construction of structurally and immunologically effective attenuated vaccines , and (b) the role galactose plays as an essential element in the formation of lactulose - a synthetic disaccharide indicated for the treatment of constipation and/or hepatic encephalopathy (HE); hepatic coma .

Nevertheless, there are many studies looking into a variety of possible uses for galactose, including the use of the monosaccharide sugar for accelerating senescence in mice, rats, and Drosophila , the proposed association between galactose in consumed milk and ovarian cancer , a possible role in the therapy of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis , among various others. Regardless, none of these proposed indications have yet been formally elucidated for practical use.