Utilization of Intravenously Administered β-Cellobiose and Maltose by Young Pigs

Intravenous solutions of glucose oligosaccharides are potential sources of carbohydrate-derived energy for patients requiring intravenous feeding. Relatively little is known about utilization of glucose oligosaccharides linked by β-glucosidic bonds. We compared the utilization of maltose (α-D-glucosyl-1,4-D-glucose) and β-cellobiose (β-D-glucosyl-1,4-D-glucose) when administered intravenously (19 g per day) to young pigs for a 5-day period. Animals infused with maltose excreted 15% of the infused disaccharide over the 5-day infusion period. No evidence of maltose accumulation was noted in plasma, and kidney morphology was normal. Animals infused with β-cellobiose excreted 95% of the infused disaccharide in the urine. The mean (±SD) plasma total glucose concentration increased significantly over base-line values of 114 ± 39 mg/dl to a value of 180 ± 28 mg/dl during cellobiose infusion, indicating accumulation of cellobiose in body water. Kidney morphology in cellobiose-infused animals was normal. Intravenously infused β-cellobiose is poorly utilized by the pig when compared with the utilization of its α-1,4 linked isomer, maltose.