Intestinal electrical stimulation decreases postprandial blood glucose levels in rats.
BACKGROUND
Reducing postprandial blood glucose concentrations in diabetic patients might contribute to optimal glycemic control. Gastrointestinal electrical stimulation has been proposed as a novel therapy for both gastrointestinal motility disorders and obesity. The present study investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of intestinal electrical stimulation (IES) on postprandial blood glucose levels in rats.


METHODS
Electrical stimulation electrodes were implanted into the duodenal wall of 33 male Sprague-Dawley rats. The blood glucose and insulin levels were measured before and after a glucose tolerance test both with and without electrical stimulation. In addition, the gastric emptying and intestinal flow rates were measured.


RESULTS
IES applied immediately after the glucose tolerance test caused a significant decrease in the rising phase slope and the maximal serum blood glucose level. Additionally, the area under the curve of the blood glucose levels was reduced by approximately 50%. Insulin secretion decreased by 21%. The main reduction in insulin secretion was during the first 30 minutes after the glucose tolerance test. IES also caused a nearly 80% decrease of the gastric emptying rate and a 40% increase in the flow rate of nutrients inside the intestine. The effect was immediate after IES activation and reversible.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that IES applied to the duodenum can reduce postprandial blood glucose levels. The possible etiology is the modulating of gastric emptying and intestinal flow rate.
Khawaled
Radwan
R
Beta-Stim Limited, Caesarea, Israel. radwan@betastim.com
Blumen
Gil
G
Fabricant
Gary
G
Ben-Arie
Jacob
J
Shikora
Scott
S
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004386:Duodenum; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001786:Blood Glucose