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Intestinal disaccharidases and some renal enzymes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed sapogenin extract from bitter yam (Dioscorea polygonoides).

McAnuff-Harding MA, Omoruyi FO, Asemota HN

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Biochemistry Section, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.

In this study, the effects of bitter yam sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin on intestinal disaccharidases and some renal enzymes in diabetic rats were investigated. Diabetic male Wistar rats were fed diets supplemented with 1% sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin for 3 weeks. Plasma glucose, intestinal disaccharidases and the activities of transaminases, acid phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase, ATP citrate lyase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase were assessed for the level of metabolic changes in the kidney of diabetic rats. Sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in lactase and maltase activities in all three regions of the intestine compared to the diabetic control group. However, the test diets significantly reduced intestinal sucrase activity in the proximal and mid regions. Test diets supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in the activities of the transaminases compared to the normal and diabetic control groups. The activity of glucose-6-phosphatase was significantly increased while the activities of ATP citrate lyase, pyruvate kinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly reduced in the kidney of the diabetic control rats compared to the normal group. Test diets supplementation did not significantly alter glucose-6-phosphatase, ATP citrate lyase and pyruvate kinase activities compared to the diabetic control. However, there was a significant increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity toward the normal group. In conclusion, the consumption of bitter yam sapogenin extract or commercial diosgenin demonstrated hypoglycemic properties, which are beneficial in diabetes by reducing intestinal disaccharidases activities; however, bitter yam sapogenin extract may adversely affect the integrity of kidney membrane.

Published 21 April 2006 in Life Sci, 78(22): 2595-600.
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