Feeding of Potato Starch Increases Maltase and Sucrase Activity Only in Duodenal Segment of the Small Intestine in Rats

Abstract

Adaptation of digestive enzymes in the small intestine and pancreas was evaluated in rats fed different types of starch. Male Sprague-Dawley rats at 6 weeks were fed 3 types of diet containing, corn starch, or two kinds of potato starch with different phosphorus contents. The changes in sucrase, maltase and lactase activities in the duodenum, jejunum, jejuno-ileum and ileum of the small intestinal tract, and α-amylase activity in the pancreas were determined at 1, 3 and 5 weeks of feeding. There were significant differences in sucrase and maltase, but not lactase activity in the duodenum among the 3 starch groups. There were no differences in jejunal and ileal disaccharidase, and pancreatic α-amylase activity among the 3 diet groups. Thus, adaptation of disaccharidase to different type of starch occurred locally in the duodenal segment but not in subsequent lower segments of the small intestine in rats.