Xylitol (Ribitol) is a five-carbon sugar alcohol derived from XYLOSE by reduction of the carbonyl group. It is as sweet as sucrose and used as a noncariogenic sweetener.

Xylitol is reported to have an inhibitory effect on LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine expression[2]. Xylitol strongly inhibits tube formation, migration, and invasion of HUVECs. Xylitol decreases the mRNA expression of key angiogenic molecules and their receptors (VEGF, KDR, bFGF and bFGFR-II) in a dose-dependent manner. Also, it suppresses NF-κB and Akt activation of HUVECs[1].

Xylitol triggers the release of insulin in dogs[3] and inhibits in vivo angiogenesis. It prominently inhibits the formation of neo-microvessels in the Matrigel assay, and reduces the hemoglobin content in the Matrigel plug[1].

In vitro tube formation assay:HUVECs (2×104 cells) are seeded on a layer of previously polymerized Matrigel and treated with or without xylitol. Matrigel culture is incubated at 37°C. After 6 h, changes in cell morphology are captured through a phase contrast microscope and photographed at ×40 magnification. Each sample is assayed in duplicate and independent experiments are repeated three times. (Only for Reference)