Antiobesity and antidiabetic actions of a new potent disaccharidase inhibitor in genetically obese-diabetic mice, KKA(y).

AO-128 is a potent and structurally novel inhibitor of the intestinal disaccharidases, such as maltase and sucrase. Genetically obese-diabetic mice, KKA(y), were used to examine the acute or long-term effectiveness of this compound. AO-128 decreased a postprandial rise in blood glucose after sucrose solution loading dose-dependently; the ED50 to reduce a delta increment of blood glucose by 50% was 0.22 mg/kg. The intestinal sucrase and maltase activities were suppressed to 7 and 48% of the control levels, respectively, at a dose of 0.21 mg/kg. Four-week-old female KKA(y) mice were kept on a laboratory diet containing 10 or 50 ppm of AO-128 for 12 weeks. The high dose of AO-128 reduced food intake and body weight gain throughout the experimental period. On the other hand, the low dose reduced body weight gain for the first 4 weeks without any effect on food intake. Development of the hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia characteristic of KKA(y) mice was moderately prevented by the low dose, and completely by the high dose. Hypertriglyceridemia tended to be suppressed by the AO-128 treatment. The high dose decreased the hemoglobin A1 level and parametrial adipose tissue weight. Hepatomegaly and fatty liver were ameliorated by AO-128 dose-dependently. Nephropathy was ameliorated by the high dose. These findings indicate that AO-128 may be useful for treating human obesity and diabetes.