Comparative Studies of Non-digestible Polysaccharides: Wheat and Potato Resistant Starch and Pectin on Glycemic, Lipemic, Blood Urea and Intestinal Parameters in Growing Rats
Abstract:
The influence of non-digestible polysaccharides on gastrointestinal parameters, serum and liver lipids, serum urea and blood glucose parameters were evaluated in growing rats during a 6 weeks experimental period. The polysaccharides consisted of either plain wheat starch (Digestible Starch, DS) control diet, or starch substituted with 12% of either Wheat Resistant Starch (WRS), Potato Resistant Starch (PRS) or Pectin (P). Body weight gain and food intake were not significantly affected by the experimental diets. The length of the small intestine was also not affected by the different diets. The caecal weight was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in animals fed the non-digestible polysacchrides, with P and PRS showing the highest increase. There was a parallel increase in the caecal content. (p< 0.01) The caecal material pH tended to be acidic in the groups fed non-digestible polysaccharides. The intestinal maltase activity was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in animals fed non-digestible polysaccharides. The PRS and P groups showed significantly lower serum cholesterol concentrations (p < 0.01) compared with the control and WRS groups. Serum triacylglycerol, liver cholesterol and triacylglycerol were not significantly affected following feeding non-digestible polysaccharides. Feeding non-digestible polysaccharides lowered the total serum lipids (p < 0.05) without affecting the total liver lipids. The serum urea concentrations were significantly lowered by feeding WRS and PRS (p < 0.05) The fasting blood glucose was significantly reduced in WRS and P fed groups compared with the control and PRS groups (p < 0.01). The P fed group showed a significantly lower 1 h postprandial blood glucose (p < 0.05). The 6 h post feeding blood glucose concentrations were significantly lowered in WRS and P fed groups compared with the control and PRS groups (p < 0.001). The present study suggests that non-viscous resistant starch; shares some of the physiological properties of non-starch polysaccharides and have similar metabolic effects, which may be of importance in the dietary control of certain disease conditions.
Aminu A. Bobboi , Jacqueline L. Yefon and Abubakar A. Gidado , 2004. Comparative Studies of Non-digestible Polysaccharides: Wheat and Potato Resistant Starch and Pectin on Glycemic, Lipemic, Blood Urea and Intestinal Parameters in Growing Rats. Journal of Medical Sciences, 4: 331-339.
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