Effects of Viscous Dietary Fibers on Digestive Enzymes of Pancreas and Disaccharidases of Small Intestine in Rats

Effects of viscous dietary fibers on the digestive organs were investigated in 5 week aged rats. Rats were fed the diets containing cellulose, pectin, tamarind gum or sodium alginate at 4.78% as Prosky dietary fiber for 19 days. After feeding, weights of digestive organs and activities of digestive enzymes in the pancreas and small intestinal mucosa were determined. 1. The weight gains were lower in the groups fed viscous dietary fibers compared with cellulose group, significantly lower in sodium alginate group. 2. The weights of small intestine and cecum were significantly higher in the groups of viscous dietary fibers than the cellulose group. The stomach was significantly heavier in the sodium alginate group and colon was significantly heavier in the pectin and sodium alginate groups. 3. The protease activity in the pancreas was higher in the sodium alginate group compared with other groups. 4. Disaccharidase activities in the jejunal mucosa were lower in the groups of viscous dietary fibers than in the cellulose group, whereas the disaccharidase activities in the duodenal mucosa were similar among the groups. Our observations suggest that the viscosity of dietary fiber was associated with the enlargement of digestive organs and the increased enzyme activity in the pancreas. However, another mechanisms may play in the mucosal enzymes of small intestine.