Maltose absorption

Acarbose is a nonabsorbable a-glucosidase inhibitor which blocks the digestion of starch, sucrose, and maltose. The digestion of complex carbohydrates is delayed and occurs throughout the small intestine rather than in the upper part of the jejunum. Absorption of glucose and other monosaccharides is not affected. Acarbose is adrninistered orally three times a day and chewed with the first mouthful of food. 

Fig. 1 (A) Chromatographic separation of sugars. Track 1 fructose, 2 sucrose, 3 glucose, 4 mixture of the substances in tracks 1-3, 5 mixture of substances in tracks 1-3 and 6, 6 Fructo-oligosaccharides, 7 1-kestose, 8 mixture of glucose, maltose, maltotriose and maltotetraose. (B) Absorption scan of track 5 with 200 ng each substance per chromatogram zone 1 = fructosyl-nystose, 2 = nystose, 3 = 1-kestose, 4 = fructose, 5 = sucrose, 6 = glucose.

Figure 13.5 Pure component absorption spectra for glucose, sucrose, and maltose over the combination spectral range.

We typically consume in our diets a generous amount of starch and a smaller amount of glycogen. These complex carbohydrates must be converted into simpler carbohydrates for absorption by the intestine and transport in the blood. Starch and glycogen are digested primarily by the pancreatic enzyme a-amylase and to a lesser extent by salivary ot-amylase. Amylase cleaves the a-1,4 bonds of starch and glycogen, but not the ot-1,6 bonds. The products are the di- and trisaccharides maltose and maltotriose. The material not digestible because of the a -1,6 bonds is called the limit dextrin. 

In the presence of titanium dioxide as photosensitizer, oxidation, not hydrolytic cleavage, appears to be the primary process during the irradiation of aqueous solutions of lactose, sucrose, maltose, or cellobiose. An absorption band is produced at 267 m j and the position of the maximum is dependent on pH. 

The improvement of PC teeth (REIGNING) by EB irradiation at I50°C was checked from the viewpoint of chemical properties for plastic teeth (Sano et al., 2011). Namely, the properties were water absorption, emission of BPA as the soluble product from PC teeth, and content of maltose and mucin as contamination materials on the surface. BPA emission from PC is feared, as BPA has health implications such as endocrine disrupters (Environmental Agency Japan, 1998 Polycarbonate Resin Manufacturing Group [Japan], 2003). Maltose and mucin formed from food by the enzyme (a-amylase) in saliva would adhere to the plastic teeth. The yields or contents of these materials were quantitatively analyzed before and after EB irradiation improvement. 

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