EFFECT OF MILD MALNUTRITION ON DISACCHARIDASE ACTIVITY AND GLUCOSE-UPTAKE IN INTESTINAL BRUSH-BORDER VESICLES OF GROWING MONKEYS

Background: The effect of severe malnutrition has been reported by som e workers, but there is a paucity of information on milder forms even though 85% of pre-school children show evidence of mild to moderate ma lnutrition in India. Methods: Mild to moderate protein energy malnutri tion was induced in 12 monkeys, and 12 were kept as controls. After a 30-40% reduction in body weight as compared with their controls, the a nimals were killed, and brush border membrane vesicles were prepared f rom three parts of the small intestine. Purified vesicles were used fo r the assay of lactase, sucrase, maltase and glucose uptake in vitro. Results: The activity of lactase, sucrase, and maltase, and uptake of (U-C-14)-D-glucose was decreased in all three parts of small intestine , and the lactose tolerance test result was also abnormal in the prote in energy-malnourished group. On nutritional rehabilitation, the disac charidase activities recovered completely. Conclusion: This study indi cates that even mild to moderate malnutrition decreases the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates throughout the small intestine, and it should not be ignored during the developing stage.