GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHIC MASS-SPECTROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF C-13-GLUCOSE LEVEL FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITOR ACARBOSE ON THE DIGESTION OF [U-C-13]STARCH IN RAT

The effect of acarbose os the digestion of starch was examined by a st able isotope tracer technique. [U-C-13]Starch was administered orally to rats with or without acarbose. After the addition of [H-2(3)]-D-glu cose as the internal standard, the plasma samples were treated success ively for defatting, deproteinizing and desalting. Glucose was convert ed to sorbitol by reduction with sodium borohydride. The cyclic butylb oronate of sorbitol was injected into a gas chromatograph-mass spectro meter, and the concentration of labeled glucose was measured by select ed monitoring of the quasi-molecular ion. The plasma concentration of labeled glucose was decreased significantly by the addition of acarbos e. The effect of acarbose on the digestion of starch was clearly confi rmed using [U-C-13]starch,