Effects of xylitol as a sugar substitute on diabetes-related parameters in nondiabetic rats

Abstract The present study was examined the effects of xylitol feeding on diabetes-associated parameters in nondiabetic rats. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (five rats), sucrose (six rats), and xylitol (six rats). Animal had free access to a commercial rat pellet diet, and ad libitum water, 10% sucrose solution, and 10% xylitol solution were supplied to the control, sucrose, and xylitol groups, respectively. After 3 weeks of feeding of experimental diets, food intakes were significantly (P<.05) lower in the sucrose and xylitol groups compared with the control group. Drink intake was significantly higher in the sucrose group but significantly lower in the xylitol group compared with the control group. Body weight gain was significantly lower in the xylitol group compared with the sucrose group. Weekly nonfasting blood glucose was significantly increased, but fasting blood glucose was significantly decreased, in the sucrose group compared with the control and xylitol groups. Significantly better glucose tolerance was observed in the xylitol group compared with the control and sucrose groups. Serum insulin and fructosamine concentrations were not significantly influenced by the feeding of xylitol or sucrose. Relative liver weight and liver glycogen were significantly increased in the xylitol group compared with the sucrose group, whereas no difference was observed between the xylitol and control groups. Serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were significantly decreased in the sucrose and xylitol groups, and serum triglyceride of the xylitol group, but not the sucrose group, was significantly increased compared with the control group. Data of this study suggest that xylitol can be a better sweetener than sucrose to maintain diabetes-related parameters at a physiologically safer and stable condition.

Experimental rodent models of type 2 diabetes: a review

Due to the high prevalence of diabetes worldwide, extensive research is still being performed to develop new antidiabetic agents and determine their mechanisms of action. Consequently, a number of diabetic animal models have been developed and improved over the years, of which rodent models are the most thoroughly described. These rodent models can be classified into two broad categories: 1) genetically induced spontaneous diabetes models; and 2) experimentally induced nonspontaneous diabetes models. The popularity of using experimentally induced nonspontaneous models for diabetes research over that of the genetically induced spontaneous models is due to their comparatively lower cost, ease of diabetes induction, ease of maintenance and wider availability. The various experimentally induced type 2 diabetes (T2D) rodent models developed over the last 30-plus years for both routine pharmacological screening and mechanistic diabetes-linked research trials include: adult streptozotocin (STZ)/alloxan rat models, neonatal STZ/alloxan models, partial pancreatectomy models, long-term high-fat (HF) diet-fed models, HF diet-fed STZ models, nicotinamide/STZ models, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) models, the STZ-induced progressive diabetic model and monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced model. The use of these models, however, is not without limitations. A T2D model should ideally portray an identical biochemical blood profile and pathogenesis to T2D in humans. Hence, this review will comparatively evaluate experimentally induced rodent T2D models considering the above-mentioned criteria, in order to guide diabetes research groups to more accurately select the most appropriate models given their specific research requirements.