The question of toxicity of xylitol infusions in rabbits
Wang, Y.M.; Oshinsky, R.J.; Lantin, E.; Ukab, W.; Van Eys, J.
Infusionstherapie und Klinische Ernahrung 4(5): 251-257
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0378-0791 PMID: 562324 Document Number: 122228
New Zealand White rabbits weighing about 3.5 kg were given xylitol alone, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 or 8 g/kg bodyweight, to study relations of plasma xylitol to plasma xylulose and lactic acid and oxalate formation. Xylitol and glucose were also given in 25% solution at 2 g/kg to compare oxalate formation from both. Infusion rate was kept constant. In other comparisons of oxalate formation, xylitol or glucose was infused into untreated rabbits or 8 h after intraperitoneal injection of oxythiamin 20 mg/kg and 6 h after injection of 4-deoxypyridoxine 300 mg/kg, both in physiological salt solution with neutral pH; the rabbits were starved, but water was available. To test if xylitol or glucose had a direct metabolic connection with oxalate, both, labelled with 14C, were infused after 4-deoxypyridoxine treatment and urine was collected for 48 h. From all results it was concluded that oxalate formation from the 2 substances was similar and negligible and there was no metabolic pathway for direct transformation of xylitol into oxalate. The slight effects of xylitol on inorganic phosphate, alpha -glycerophosphate, L-lactic acid, allantoin and ascorbic acid in blood, also intracellular metabolism of xylitol, osmolar effects and pathological changes in the rabbits are discussed.