moleculefinder

SHEET /m/sorbitol · PubChem CID 5780 · CAS 50-70-4 · REV 2026.07

marquee

Sorbitol from source

C6H14O6 · 182.17 g/mol

D-Sorbitol · D-Glucitol · glucitol · Glucarine

chemical compound

CategorySweetener
Chemical familyAlcohols

Fig. 1 · 2D structure RDKit

C([C@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](CO)O)O)O)O)O

Where you'll find it

Curated by MoleculeFinder from source

The dose makes the poison inferred

A reported rat oral LD50 for Sorbitol is 15,900 mg/kg, the dose lethal to half the animals tested. Scaled by body mass alone:

1113.0 g
a median lethal dose scaled to 154 lb (1,113,000 mg)

“The dose makes the poison” is a cross-species estimate shown as neutral science, not a threshold anyone should act on. Real toxicity depends on the person, not body mass alone.

Signature properties

Sweetness0.6× sugarfrom source

Toxicity & hazards

Toxicity · LD50

15,900 mg/kg · very low toxicity · LD50 rat oral from source

The dose lens above scales this to a body weight.

4 more reported values
  • 17,800 mg/kgLD50 · oral · mouse
  • 7,100 mg/kgLD50 · iv · rat
  • 9,480 mg/kgLD50 · iv · mouse
  • 29,600 mg/kgLD50 · other · rat

Keep roaming

Where Sorbitol leads

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol about sixty percent as sweet as sugar, common in sugar-free gum and candy. The body absorbs it slowly, which is why too much has a famous laxative effect.