Carbohydrate digestion and absorption

Carbohydrate digestion and absorption refers to the physiological process by which complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars (monosaccharides) and absorbed in the small intestine. This is not a single molecular target but rather a coordinated sequence involving multiple enzymes—such as salivary amylase, pancreatic amylase, maltase, sucrase, lactase—and transporters like SGLT1 (sodium-glucose co-transporter 1) for glucose/galactose and GLUT5 for fructose[1][2][3][4][5][6]. The process begins in the mouth with salivary amylase acting on starches; minimal activity occurs in the stomach due to acidic pH. Most enzymatic digestion happens in the small intestine via pancreatic amylase followed by brush border disaccharidases that yield monosaccharides. These are then absorbed through specific transporters into enterocytes and released into portal circulation[1][2][3]. Because "carbohydrate digestion/absorption" describes a **physiological pathway**, not an individual molecule or receptor, it is not considered a canonical therapeutic target itself. However, drugs such as acarbose or miglitol can inhibit key enzymes within this pathway to modulate postprandial blood sugar levels—primarily used in diabetes management. If you need structured information about specific molecules involved—such as "Sodium-glucose co-transporter 1" or "Alpha-glucosidase"—those would be appropriate targets for detailed molecular data. > Carbohydrate digestion/absorption is a physiological process involving multiple enzymes and transporters; it is not itself a discrete molecular target but rather encompasses several potential drug targets within its pathway[1][2][3].

Inhibition of alpha-glucosidase and pancreatic amylase to delay carbohydrate breakdown and glucose absorption