Hypoglycaemic and anorexigenic activities of an α-amylase inhibitor from white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Wistar rats

An inhibitor of alpha-amylase was isolated and purified from an extract of white kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). The acute oral administration of the inhibitor (50 mg/kg body weight) to adult Wistar rats together with a starch load (2 g/kg body weight suspended in NaCl (9 g/l)) reduced the increase in glycaemia over the basal value (NaCl, 222 (sem 49); inhibitor, 145 (sem 16) mmol/lx180 min; P<0.05) without modifying the insulin response. On administering the inhibitor orally (50 mg/kg body weight dissolved in NaCl (9 g/l)) for 21 d to rats fed on a standard diet, a decline was observed in the glycaemia values on day 0 (NaCl, 5.53 (sem 0.12); inhibitor, 5.25 (sem 0.16) mmol/l) relative to those obtained on days 10 (NaCl, 5.00 (sem 0.14); inhibitor, 4.60 (sem 0.08) mmol/l; P<0.05) and 21 (NaCl, 5.22 (sem 0.22); inhibitor, 4.50 (sem 0.12) mmol/l; P<0.01) of treatment, without modifying the plasma concentration of insulin. There was found to be a significant anorexigenic action of the inhibitor; there was reduced food intake (NaCl, 23.07 (sem 0.31); inhibitor, 19.50 (sem 0.49) g/d; P<0.01), a reduced weight gain (NaCl, 52 (sem 3); inhibitor, -1.33 (sem 8.9) g/21 d; P<0.01), as well as changes in the activity of some intestinal enzymes such as maltase (NaCl, 87 (sem 7); inhibitor, 127 (sem 11) U/g proteins; P<0.05). The present study has shown, for the first time, that the prolonged administration of an alpha-amylase inhibitor reduces blood glucose levels and body-weight gain in Wistar rats.