PHYTIN

Chemical properties

C12H30Ca5MgO54P12

The Uses of PHYTIN

A calcium salt form of phytic acid (P398700), the principal storage form of phosphorus in many plant tissues, especially bran and seeds. It has antioxidant effect as well as neuroprotective effect by chelating iron.

Agricultural Uses

Phytin is a major organic phosphorus compound in seeds and is the source of phosphorus for new seedlings, till they start absorbing it from the soil. The phosphorus reserve in seeds is the calcium/magnesium salts of inositol hexaphosphoric acid (phytic acid). It is used as a fertilizer since it can advantageously be absorbed by plants, and is found in the soil as a product of the degradation of organic matter.
Inositol phosphate is thought to be of microbial origin and can exist in several stereoisomeric forms; phosphate esters of myo-, scyllo-, neo- and chrio-inositol have been characterized in soil. Myo-inositol hexaphosphoric acid (phytic acid), is usually a major pool of organic phosphorus, which is fairly stable in an alkaline medium but which gradually hydrolyzes (optimum pH 4.0) to a range of intermediate inositol phosphates, and finally, to inositol in acidic media. Enzyme phylase also hydrolyzes myo-inositol phosphates. Myo-inositol phosphates account for between less than 1 and 62% of the total soil phosphorus.