PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF DIETARY FRUCTO-OLIGOSACCHARIDE IN YOUNG-RATS AGAINST EXOCRINE PANCREAS ATROPHY INDUCED BY HIGH-FRUCTOSE AND PARTIAL COPPER DEFICIENCY

The objective of this investigation was to protect rats against exocri ne pancreatic atrophy by adding 22% fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), a na tural fructan obtained from inulin, to the 50% copper-deficient diets containing qualitatively and quantitatively different carbohydrates. Y oung male Wistar rats were maintained on these diets for 10 wk, being weighed weekly then killed and autopsied. Major organs were weighed an d histologically examined. Copper content in the diets was measured by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Incomplete (50%) copper deficie ncy avoided precocious mortality due to cardiovascular lesions and ena bled another pathological condition to develop, consisting of the indu ction of exocrine pancreas atrophy. Introduction of gradually increasi ng percentages of fructose in diets at the level of 22, 42 and 62% ind uced a gradual increase in the copper-deficiency-mediated pathology in rats, expressed by an increase in exocrine pancreatic atrophy. 22% FO S introduced to the diet prevented the pathology induced by both fruct ose and partial copper deficiency better than starch added to diet at the level of 20 or 40%.