Hypoglycaemic and anorexigenic activities of an alpha-amylase inhibitor from white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Wistar rats.
An inhibitor of alpha-amylase was isolated and purified from an extract of white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The acute oral administration of the inhibitor (50 mg/kg body weight) to adult Wistar rats together with a starch load (2 g/kg body weight suspended in NaCl (9 g/l)) reduced the increase in glycaemia over the basal value (NaCl, 222 (SEM 49); inhibitor, 145 (SEM 16) mmol/l x 180 min; P<0.05) without modifying the insulin response. On administering the inhibitor orally (50 mg/kg body weight dissolved in NaCl (9 g/l)) for 21 d to rats fed on a standard diet, a decline was observed in the glycaemia values on day 0 (NaCl, 5.53 (SEM 0.12); inhibitor, 5.25 (SEM 0.16) mmol/l) relative to those obtained on days 10 (NaCl, 5.00 (SEM 0.14); inhibitor, 4.60 (SEM 0.08) mmol/l; P<0.05) and 21 (NaCl, 5.22 (SEM 0.22); inhibitor, 4.50 (SEM 0.12) mmol/l; P<0.01) of treatment, without modifying the plasma concentration of insulin. There was found to be a significant anorexigenic action of the inhibitor; there was reduced food intake (NaCl, 23.07 (SEM 0.31); inhibitor, 19.50 (SEM 0.49) g/d; P<0.01), a reduced weight gain (NaCl, 52 (SEM 3); inhibitor, -1.33 (SEM 8.9) g/21 d; P<0.01), as well as changes in the activity of some intestinal enzymes such as maltase (NaCl, 87 (SEM 7); inhibitor, 127 (SEM 11) U/g proteins; P<0.05). The present study has shown, for the first time, that the prolonged administration of an alpha-amylase inhibitor reduces blood glucose levels and body-weight gain in Wistar rats.
Tormo
M A
MA
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Extremadura, 06701 Badajoz, Spain. matormo@unex.es
Gil-Exojo
I
I
Romero de Tejada
A
A
Campillo
J E
JE
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D004186:Disaccharidases / Q000378:metabolism; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000502:physiology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008871:Microvilli / Q000201:enzymology; D009929:Organ Size; D027805:Phaseolus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013213:Starch / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007328:Insulin; D013213:Starch; D004186:Disaccharidases; D000516:alpha-Amylases