Effects of Agave salmiana Otto ex Salm-Dick high-fructose syrup on non-diabetic and streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

Abstract

Diabetes has become a serious public health problem worldwide. In Mexico, it has become the leading cause of death. Fructose in diabetic diet remains controversial because it’s potential adverse effects on serum lipids. Forty eight rats were randomly assigned to one of the eight treatments resulting from a complete 2 X 4 factorial arrangement of treatments. In non-diabetic (ND) and streptozotocin-diabetic (D) rats we evaluate HFAS (high-fructose agave syrup) intake on plasma concentrations of diabetes related compounds. HFAS (0.0, 0.5, 2.0 and 5.0 g/kg body weight) was fed daily for six weeks to ND and D rats. Plasma glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), urine albumin and creatinine and liver steatosis were evaluated. Intake decreased linearly in D rats and showed a quadratic trend in ND rats. The HFAS did not affect weight gain. Triglycerides in D rats increased linearly as HFAS doses increased. There were quadratic opposite trends of glucose and HbA1c, as HFAS doses increased; 0.5 g dose had the major impact on these variables. Streptozotocin-diabetic rats fed 2 and 5 g HFAS/kg body weight had lower liver steatosis than those non-supplemented with HFAS. Dietary HFAS did not show negative effects on food intake, weight gain and hiperglucemia in both ND and D rats. Apparently HFAS had a protective effect on steatosis in D rats. Key words: High-fructose agave syrup, diabetes, glucose, triglycerides, liver steatosis, sweetener.