Effects of Xylooligosaccharides on Blood Glucose, Serum and Liver Lipids and Cecum Short-chain Fatty Acids in Diabetic Rats

The effect of supplementing xylooligosaccharides (XO) to purified diets on growth performance and several metabolic parameters was examined in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The dietary XO improved growth retardation, hyperphagia, polydipsia, elevation of serum glucose, triglyce-ride and cholesterol, reduction of liver triglyceride, and fatty acid composition (reduction of the desaturation index) of liver phosphatidylcholine. In addition, the XO diet yielded an acidic en-vironment in the cecum by increasing the pool size of acetic acid. Thus, XO, which is half as sweet as sucrose, can be applicable to foods as a sweetener that is capable of improving diabetic symptoms.