Page 5 - Phytochemistry -1 (PG404) / Clinical Pharmacy 2nd level students ( 2019 )

Clinical pharmacy PharmD program Third level Phytochemistry-1 (PG-504)

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the most abundant organic compounds in the plant
world. They act as store houses of chemical energy (glucose, starch, and

glycogen).

Structurally

Carbohydrates are naturally occurring organic compounds consisting of
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen are usually
present in the ratio (2:1) as they are in water molecule. So The name

carbohydrate means hydrate of carbon and derives from the formula
C n(H 2O) n.

Carbohydrates can be also described as polyhydroxy aldehydes,
polyhydroxy ketones or compounds that can be hydrolysed to them.

Examples:

Glucose (blood sugar): C 6 H 12 O 6 , or alternatively C 6 (H 2 O 6 )

Sucrose (table sugar): C 12 H 22 O 11 , or alternatively C 12 (H 2 O ) 11

Exceptions:

- 1 carbohydrates, Not obey the hydrate role:

Deoxy sugars: Rhamnose C 6 H 12 O , 5 Digitoxose C 6 H 12 O 4 , Cymarose
7 C H 17 O 4

- 2 Compounds obey the hydrate role, but not carbohydrates:

Formaldehyde HCHO (CH₂O), Acetic acid C₂H₄O₂

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