Inositol can stimulate glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells which allows the decrease in blood sugar levels. This effect is later seen as a reduction in urine glucose concentration and indicates a decrease in high blood sugar levels. In PCOS, the administration of inositol has produced the remission of symptoms as well as a reduction in male hormone secretion, a regulation of the cholesterol level, and a more efficient fat breakdown which allow to a significant reduction on body mass and appetite. In the cases of infertility, inositol has been proven to increase sperm count and motility, as well as increase the overall quality of oocytes and embryos. In the brain, inositol has been shown to produce an increase in serotonin receptor sensitivity. This activity produces an increase in GABA release. Some of the effects observed in the brain produced a relief in symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. In high doses, it has been shown to even reduce panic attacks. In cancer research, inositol has gained interest as it can act as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and it seems to enhance immune properties.

Inositol is absorbed from the small intestine. In patients with inositol deficiency, the maximal plasma concentration after oral administration of inositol is registered to be of 4 hours. Inositol is taken up by the tissues via sodium-dependent inositol co-transporter which also mediates glucose uptake. Oral ingestion of inositol is registered to generate a maximal plasma concentration of 36-45 mcg. Most of the administered dose is excreted in urine. The pharmacokinetic profile of inositol was studied in preterm infants and the estimated volume of distribution was reported to be 0.5115 L/kg.|The pharmacokinetic profile of inositol was studied in preterm infants and the estimated clearance rate was reported to be 0.0679 L.kg/h.

It is thought that inositol is metabolized to phosphoinositol and then converted to phosphatylinositol-4,5-biphosphate which is a precursor of the second-messenger molecules. Inositol can be transformed to D-chiro-inositol via the actions of an epimerase. The normal modifications to inositol structure seem to be between all the different isomers.

The pharmacokinetic profile of inositol was studied in preterm infants and the estimated elimination half-life was reported to be of 5.22 hours.

The mechanism of action of inositol in brain disorders is not fully understood but it is thought that it may be involved in neurotransmitter synthesis and it is a precursor to the phosphatidylinositol cycle. The change that occurs in the cycle simulates when the postsynaptic receptor is activated but without activating the receptor. This activity provokes a fake activation which regulated the activity of monoamines and other neurotransmitters. Reports have shown that insulin resistance plays a key role in the clinical development of PCOS. The presence of hyperinsulinemia can induce an excess in androgen production by stimulating ovaries to produce androgens and by reducing the sex hormone binding globulin serum levels. One of the mechanisms of insulin deficiency is thought to be related to a deficiency in inositol in the inositolphosphoglycans. The administration of inositol allows it to act as a direct messenger of the insulin signaling and improves glucose tissue uptake. This mechanism is extrapolated to its functions in diabetes treatment, metabolic syndrome, and weight loss. In cancer, the mechanism of action of inositol is not fully understood. It is hypothesized that the administration of inositol increases the level of lower-phosphate inositol phosphates why can affect cycle regulation, growth, and differentiation of malignant cells. On the other hand, the formation of inositol hexaphosphate after administration of inositol presents antioxidant characteristics by the chelation of ferric ions and suppression of hydroxyl radicals.