chondroitin sulfate

chondroitin sulfate n any of several sulfated forms of chondroitin found in various tissues (as cartilage, adult bone, and tendons)

* * *

chon·dro·i·tin sul·fate (kon-droґĭ-tin) 1. a glycosaminoglycan that predominates in the ground substance of cartilage, bone, and blood vessels but also occurs in other connective tissues. It consists of repeating disaccharide units in specific linkage, each composed of a glucuronic acid residue linked to a sulfated N-acetylgalactosamine residue. There are two forms: chondroitin 4-sulfate (chondroitin sulfate A) and chondroitin 6-sulfate (chondroitin sulfate C), named for the position of the sulfate group on the sugar. One or both types accumulate abnormally in several mucopolysaccharidoses. Chondroitin sulfate B is now called dermatan sulfate. 2. a preparation of chondroitin sulfate from bovine tracheal cartilage, administered orally for the treatment of osteoarthritis and joint pain.