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Myo-inositol inhibits intestinal glucose absorption and promotes muscle glucose uptake: a dual approach study

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry volume 72, pages 791–801 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of myo-inositol on muscle glucose uptake and intestinal glucose absorption ex vivo as well as in normal and type 2 diabetes model of rats. In ex vivo study, both intestinal glucose absorption and muscle glucose uptake were studied in isolated rat jejunum and psoas muscle respectively in the presence of increasing concentrations (2.5 % to 20 %) of myo-inositol. In the in vivo study, the effect of a single bolus dose (1 g/kg bw) of oral myo-inositol on intestinal glucose absorption, blood glucose, gastric emptying and digesta transit was investigated in normal and type 2 diabetic rats after 1 h of co-administration with 2 g/kg bw glucose, when phenol red was used as a recovery marker. Myo-inositol inhibited intestinal glucose absorption (IC50 = 28.23 ± 6.01 %) and increased muscle glucose uptake, with (GU50 = 2.68 ± 0.75 %) or without (GU50 = 8.61 ± 0.55 %) insulin. Additionally, oral myo-inositol not only inhibited duodenal glucose absorption and reduced blood glucose increase, but also delayed gastric emptying and accelerated digesta transit in both normal and diabetic animals. Results of this study suggest that dietary myo-inositol inhibits intestinal glucose absorption both in ex vivo and in normal or diabetic rats and also promotes muscle glucose uptake in ex vivo condition. Hence, myo-inositol may be further investigated as a possible anti-hyperglycaemic dietary supplement for diabetic foods and food products.

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Abbreviations

DBC:

Diabetic control

DMI:

Diabetic myo-inositol

GAI:

Glucose absorption index

GIT:

Gastrointestinal tract

NC:

Normal control

NMI:

Normal myo-inositol

PCOS:

Polycystic ovary syndrome

PR:

Phenol red

T2D:

Type 2 diabetes

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the competitive research grant from the Research Office, University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban; an incentive grant for rated researchers and a grant support for women and young researchers from the National Research Foundation (NRF), Pretoria, South Africa. Special thanks to Dr. M. Singh for giving us access to her lab and Dr. Linda Bester, David Mompe and Deliwe Mdakane for their assistance during this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville Campus), Durban, 4000, South Africa

    Chika Ifeanyi Chukwuma, Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim & Md. Shahidul Islam

  2. Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

    Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim

Authors
  1. Chika Ifeanyi Chukwuma
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  2. Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim
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  3. Md. Shahidul Islam
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Correspondence to Md. Shahidul Islam.

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Chukwuma, C.I., Ibrahim, M.A. & Islam, M.S. Myo-inositol inhibits intestinal glucose absorption and promotes muscle glucose uptake: a dual approach study. J Physiol Biochem 72, 791–801 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-016-0517-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-016-0517-1

Keywords

  • Myo-inositol
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Intestinal glucose absorption
  • Muscle glucose uptake
  • Rats