Studies on Carbohydrates Digestion in the Camel (Camelus Dromedarius)

Abstract

The intestinal tract and the pancreas of camels (Camelus dromedarius) and cattle were investigated for carbohydrate activities, namely, amylase. maltase isomalates. lactase, cellobiase, trehalase and sucrase. Distribution of these enzymes was also investigated along the intestinal tract. The pancreas of camels was found to possess a powerful amylase beside weak activities of maltase, isomaltase, lactase and cellobiase. Amylase activity (1701 units/g tissue/ minute) was higher than that of cattle (397 units/ g tissue/minute) and other true ruminants and comparable to that of monogastirc animals. Amylase, maltase, isomaltase, lactase, cellobiase and trehalase were present at different levels both in the mucosa and the contents of the camel intestine. Their levels in the mucosa of camels were higher than in cattle. These activities were localised mainly in the small intestine, fairly in the large intestine. None of these enzymes was detected in preparations from the abomasum of both camels and cattle. Sucrase was not detected in all the preparations from the abomasum and the intestines of both camels and cattle. The distribution of activities along the intestinal tract of camels was in general similar to that of cattle and to that reported in other species. The different carbohydrates showed different locations: amylase, maltase and isomaltase were mainly localized in the middle region of the small intestine (jejunum) and lactase, cellobiase and trehalase in the proximal region. It is concluded that the small intestine of the camel is the major site for post-ruminal carbohydrate digestion where the enzymes elaborated by the animal itself are the main effects of hydrolysis. The possible digestion of starch and the respective disaccharides in the camel and cattle intestines was discussed.