EFFECTS OF STEVIOSIDE AND STEVIOL ON INTESTINAL GLUCOSE-ABSORPTION INHAMSTERS

The effects of stevioside and steviol (a product of enzymatic hydrolys is of stevioside) on intestinal glucose absorption were examined in th e hamster jejunum in vitro. By using the jejunal rings technique, we f ound that stevioside at a high dose of 5 mM had no inhibitory effect o n glucose absorption. In contrast, glucose absorption was inhibited 43 % by 1 mM steviol. The inhibition of glucose absorption by steviol was related to steviol concentration and incubation time. The inhibitory effect of steviol compared to phlorizin and ouabain was also investiga ted. Steviol, which caused a decrease in glucose accumulation in the i ntestinal ring tissues, possibly acts on the brush border membrane as does phlorizin. Furthermore, it was also found that steviol altered th e morphology of the intestinal absorptive cells. These results suggest that the possible site of inhibitory action of steviol might be on th e mucosal side and/or at the intracellular organelles of intestinal ab sorptive cells.