D-Lactose monohy

Definition

ChEBI: The alpha-anomer of lactose.

General Description

In nature, it only exists in mammalian milk. It belongs to disaccharides, being composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of galactose with a sweetness of about 16. Milk contains about 4.3% ~ 4.5% of lactose. There are two isomers of lactose, namely, α-and β-type, being monohydrate and anhydrous, respectively. The α-lactose usually contains one molecule of crystal water with the melting point of 202 °C; β-type is as an anhydride with the melting point of 252 °C and has a higher sweetness and higher solubility than α-type. Lactose is made from whey, a by-product of cheese or casein, and is used in large quantities as a drug excipient, as a nutrient for infants and young children, and as a good medium for penicillin.
It is used as a diluent for soluble powder dispersions, oral capsules, powder inhalers and tablets; lactose is also used in lyophilisates and intravenous injections.