L-arabinose feeding prevents increases due to dietary sucrose in lipogenicenzymes and triacylglycerol levels in rats

L-Arabinose is a natural, poorly absorbed pentose that selectively inhibits intestinal sucrase activity. To investigate the effects of L-arabinose fee ding on lipogenesis due to its inhibition of sucrase, rats were fed 0-30 g sucrose/100 g diets containing 0-1 g L-arabinose/100 g for 10 d. Lipogenic enzyme activities and triacylglycerol concentrations in the liver were sign ificantly increased by dietary sucrose, and arabinose significantly prevent ed these increases. Arabinose feeding reduced the weights of epididymal adi pose tissue. Moreover, plasma insulin and triacylglycerol concentrations we re significantly reduced by dietary L-arabinose. These findings suggest tha t L-arabinose inhibits intestinal sucrase activity, thereby reducing sucros e utilization, and consequently decreasing lipogenesis.