[Effects of soluble carbohydrates from several tropical foods (cassava, peanuts, coconut and papaya) on calcium utilization in the rat].

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 patent 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.