Effect of a glucosidase inhibitor on the metabolic response of diabetic rats to a high carbohydrate diet, consisting of starch and sucrose, or glucose.

The metabolic consequences of the addition of Bay-g-5421 to a diet whose caloric value included 67% carbohydrate, comprising wheat starch (diet A), equal quantities of wheat starch and sucrose (diet B) or glucose (diet C) were studied in lean diabetic and non-diabetic rats. BAY-g-5421 led to a significant (30%) reduction in daily food intake of diabetic and non-diabetic rats fed diets A and B, respectively. In diabetic rats fed diets A and B with Bay-g-5421, daily urinary glucose was diminished ten-fold, while the post-prandial plasma glucose excursions were almost halved. Serum cholesterol, but not triglyceride concentrations, were reduced after five days, by the addition of BAY-g-5421 to diets A or B in non-diabetic rats, and in diabetic rats when the animals fed diets A and B were combined. BAY-g-5421 did not significantly after the food intake, urinary glucose excretion, post-prandial plasma glucose excursions nor serum lipids in diabetic and non-diabetic rats fed diet C. These findings illustrate the therapeutic potential of BAY-g-5421 as an adjunct to the dietary management of diabetes mellitus.