title: Effects of xylitol on blood glucose, glucose tolerance, serum insulin and lipid profile in a type 2 diabetes model of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to examine the antidiabetic effects of xylitol in a type 2 diabetes rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control (NC), diabetic control (DBC) and xylitol (XYL). Diabetes was induced only in the DBC and XYL animal groups by feeding them a 10% fructose solution for 2 weeks followed by an injection (i.p.) of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg body weight). One week after the streptozotocin injection, the animals with a nonfasting blood glucose level of >300 mg/dl were considered to be diabetic. The XYL group was fed further with a 10% xylitol solution, whereas the NC and DBC groups were supplied with normal drinking water.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 5 weeks of intervention, food and fluid intake, body weight, blood glucose, serum fructosamine and most of the serum lipids were significantly decreased, and serum insulin concentration and glucose tolerance ability was significantly increased in the XYL group compared to the DBC group. Liver weight, liver glycogen and serum triglycerides were not influenced by feeding with xylitol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data of this study suggest that xylitol can be used not only as a sugar substitute but also as a supplement to antidiabetic food and other food products.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus), Durban, South Africa. islamd@ukzn.ac.za
authors: Md Shahidul
authors: MS
authors: Islam
authors: Mitesh
authors: M
authors: Indrajit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002149:Energy Intake; D019270:Fructosamine / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008112:Liver Glycogen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D008112:Liver Glycogen; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D019270:Fructosamine; D014993:Xylitol