UTILIZATION OF INTRAVENOUSLY INFUSED MALTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES IN RABBITS

The utilization of intravenously infused maltotriose, maltotetraose an d maltopentaose was investigated in rabbits. Rabbits were infused with isotonic solutions of each maltooligosaccharide for 2h and the utiliz ation was assessed by the 24-h urinary loss of carbohydrates. The util ization of these maltooligosaccharides was good (greater-than-or-equal -to 87.5%) at a rate of ml/kg/h (less-than-or-equal-to 250 mg/kg/h) an d poor (less-than-or-equal-to 36.2%) at a rate of 5ml/kg/h (>250 mg/kg /h). Furthermore, these maltooligosaccharides infused as 5% solution s howed good utilization (greater-than-or-equal-to 86.2%) at a rate of 5 ml/kg/h (250 mg/kg/h). These results suggest the existence of a thres hold dose in the utilization of intravenously infused maltooligosaccha rides, and this threshold value in rabbits is estimated to be nearly 2 50 mg/kg/h.