Effects of embelin, a male antifertility agent, on absorptive and digestive functions of rat intestine.
Oral administration of embelin (75 mg/kg per day, daily for 15 and 30 days) to male rats caused significant elevation in the uptake of D-glucose, L-alanine, L-leucine and calcium in small intestinal segments. Embelin also produced significant increases in intestinal brush border membrane-associated enzymes (sucrase, lactase, maltase, alkaline phosphatase and leucine aminopeptidase) in both intestinal homogenates and partially purified brush border membrane preparations. Significant increases were also noted for microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase and cytosolic lactate dehydrogenase. Increase in brush border membrane-associated total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol, triacylglycerol, unesterified fatty acids and ganglioside sialic acid were seen but not in the cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio. All these changes returned to control or near control levels following withdrawal of the drug.
Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
S
S
Gupta
S
S
Sanyal
U
U
Kanwar
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008871:Microvilli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
D016227:Benzoquinones; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D007930:Leucine; D005947:Glucose; D000409:Alanine; C010945:embelin; D002118:Calcium