The effects of xylitol on gastric emptying and secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide in the rat.

The effects of xylitol on the rate of gastric emptying and plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide secretion in the rat were studied to relate xylitol adaptation to these phenomena. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing about 250-270 g, were either gradually adapted to 20% xylitol diets or given a basal diet. The animals were, after a 24-hour fast, given a 1.2 g/kg body weight dose of xylitol or glucose either alone or with a 99mTc-tin colloid marker to study gastric emptying by using a gamma camera. Blood was taken from the tail vein, and plasma was analyzed for immunoreactive gastric inhibitory polypeptide by using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay. Xylitol adaptation did not appear to have any effect on the secretion of gastric inhibitory polypeptide. However, adaptation of rats to 20% dietary xylitol appeared to change the rate of gastric emptying by decreasing it. Therefore, it was concluded that gastric emptying plays a role in the adaptation to high xylitol doses while gastric inhibitory polypeptide appears not to be involved.