Exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function in rats treated with alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (acarbose)

Pancreatic exocrine and endocrine secretory dynamics were studied in the isolated perfused pancreata of rats fed a normal diet or a diet supplemented with the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, acarbose (150 mg/100 g food). After 10 days, the body weight of acarbose-treated rats was slightly lower than that of the control rats despite a larger food intake. Pancreatic amylase levels were significantly decreased, trypsinogen levels were significantly increased, and lipase levels were unaltered in the treated group compared with the controls. Basal and caerulein-stimulated flow rates of pancreatic juice as well as basal amylase output were similar in both groups, whereas caerulein-stimulated amylase output was significantly lower in the acarbose-treated group. Secretory responsiveness of amylase in the treated group was, however, about twice as high as that in the control group when related to pancreatic amylase content. Insulin release in response to either glucose or cerulein was similar in both groups. These findings indicate that treatment with acarbose may alter pancreatic enzyme content without changing the secretory responsiveness of either the exocrine or endocrine pancreas.