5b-Cholestane-3a,7a,12a,25,26-pentol is a bile alcohol. Bile alcohols have been found to be present as minor components in the bile and urine in healthy subjects. Bile alcohols are end products for cholesterol elimination as well as major biliary constituents; in mammals, cholesterol is metabolized by additional enzymes that ultimately transform it to bile acids. Bile alcohols are preferentially excreted as glucuronides into the urine, which constitute about 10% of total bile acids. Large amounts of bile alcohols have been found to be excreted into the bile and urine in patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), a rare inherited lipid storage disease. (PMID: 11718684).
belongs to the class of organic compounds known as pentahydroxy bile acids, alcohols and derivatives. These are bile acids, alcohols or derivatives bearing five hydroxyl groups.
