EFFETS DES GLUCIDES SOLUBLES DE QUELQUES ALIMENTS TROPICAUX (MANIOC, ARACHIDE, NOIX DE COCO, PAPAYE) SUR L'UTILISATION DU CALCIUM CHEZ LE RAT

Les effets des extraits glucidiques de quatre aliments tropicaux administrés par sonde oesophagienne à des rats sont examinés en ce qui concerne l'absorption du calcium. Les extraits de tubercule de manioc, de graine d'arachide et de papaye favorisent notablement cette absorption. Les extraits de pulpe et d'eau de noix de coco ont une action plus faible. Cette activité physiologique est mise en relation avec la nature des glucides contenus dans ces aliments, déterminée par Chromatographie sur papier. Ethanolic extracts containing soluble sugars were prepared from four foods : cassava, peanut, coconut and papaye. Six-month-old rats were given by stomach tube 10 mM CaCl₂ solution (+ ⁴⁵Ca) containing a carbohydrate. Depending on the group, the carbohydrate was glucose or melibiose or raffinose at 200 mM concentration, or one ethanolic extract. Blood samples were taken at different times after the administration and plasma radioactivity was measured. Rats were sacrificed at 24 hours; femur radioactivity was used as a measure of calcium absorption. Extracts of cassava, peanut and papaye were the more potent in promoting calcium absorption. Extracts of coconut were less effective. This physiological activity of the extracts was correlated with the nature of sugars, identified by paper chromatography. Cassava contained raffinose, peanut included fructose, raffinose and stachyose. Fructose was abundant in papaye but in little quantity in coconut. The present experiments or earlier works had showed that these sugars enhanced calcium utilization.