January 14/Pharma Investments, Ventures & Law Weekly -- Data detailed in "Comparison of free fructose and glucose to sucrose in the ability to cause fatty liver" have been presented. According to recent research from the U.S., "There is evidence that disaccharide sucrose produce a greater increase in serum fructose and triglycerides (TGs) than the effect produced by their equivalent monosaccharides, suggesting that long-term exposure to sucrose or fructose and glucose could potentially result in different effects. We studied the chronic effects of a combination of free fructose and glucose relative to sucrose on rat liver."

"Rats were fed either a combination of 30% fructose and 30% glucose (FG) or 60% sucrose (S). Control rats were fed normal rat chow (C). All rats were pair fed and were followed for four months. After killing, blood chemistries and liver tissue were examined. Both FG-fed-and S-fed rats developed early features of metabolic syndrome when compared with C. In addition, both diets induced hepatic alterations, including variable increases in hepatic TG accumulation and fatty liver, an increase in uric acid content in the liver, as well as an increase in hepatic levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) measured in liver homogenates. Diets containing 30% of fructose either as free fructose and glucose, or as sucrose, induce metabolic syndrome, intrahepatic accumulation of uric acid and TGs, increased MCP-1 and TNF-alpha as well as fatty liver in rats," wrote L.G. Sanchez-Lozada and colleagues, University of Florida.

The researchers concluded, "It will be relevant to determine clinically whether pharmacological reduction in uric acid levels might have a therapeutic advantage in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease."

Sanchez-Lozada and colleagues published their study in European Journal of Nutrition ("Comparison of Free Fructose and Glucose to Sucrose in the Ability to Cause Fatty Liver." European Journal of Nutrition, 2010;49(1):1-9).

For additional information, contact L.G. Sanchez-Lozada, University of Florida, Division of Nephrology, Hypertension and Transplantation, Gainesville, FL.

From the January 18, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition