Kinetic analysis of D-xylose absorption after its intragastric administration to mares deprived of food.

The researchers investigated how food deprivation affects the absorption of D-xylose, a sugar, in horses. It was found that the longer the horse was deprived of food, the less efficient D-xylose absorption became, and the longer it took for the sugar to reach peak levels in the blood.

Research Methodology

• The researchers used a technique called ‘multicompartmental analysis’ to study how D-xylose is absorbed and distributed in the body.
• The study involved healthy horses who were intentionally deprived of food for specific periods (12 hours, 36 hours, 72 hours, and 96 hours).
• After these periods of food deprivation, D-xylose was administered to the horses intragastrically (directly into the stomach).
• The level of D-xylose in the plasma (part of the blood) was then measured over time.

Key Findings

• Food deprivation significantly affected the absorption of D-xylose. Specifically, the longer the period of food deprivation, the less effective the absorption of D-xylose.
• The peak plasma concentration of D-xylose was similar for the 12-hour and 36-hour periods of food deprivation, but significantly higher than the concentrations observed after 72 and 96 hours of food deprivation.
• The peak D-xylose levels occurred later with extended periods of food deprivation.
• The rate at which D-xylose is transferred from the stomach to the small intestine was less after 96 hours of food deprivation compared with 12 hours.
• The gastric emptying rate, which describes how quickly the stomach empties its contents, appeared to decrease progressively with food deprivation.

Interpretation of Results and Implications

• This study provides valuable insights into how the body’s ability to absorb sugars like D-xylose can be affected by food deprivation.
• The results suggest that the reduction in D-xylose absorption with food deprivation may be partly due to a decrease in the rate of absorption across the small intestinal mucosa.
• The study also suggests that other factors, including the speed of gastric emptying and nonabsorptive losses (e.g., through feces or urine), might be involved in the observed reduction in D-xylose absorption.
• The study’s results reaffirm the viability of formal kinetic analysis as a method to study absorption kinetics in horses, and potentially in other animals and humans.