Enzyme
Site of Action Site of Production Substrate Product
Salivary Amylase
Buccal cavity
Salivary glands
Starch
Maltose
Pancreatic amylase
Maltase
Sucrase
Lactase
Peristalsis – the mechanical movement of bolus through the gastrointestinal tract
(GI). Peristalsis occurs via the antagonistic action of longitudinal and circular muscle
that line the GI tract.
Blood pressure – systolic / diastolic
mmHg
mmol/L – millimolar/Litre
Sugars
All sugars are carbohydrates. A single unit of sugar is called a monosaccharide.
Units of sugars bonded together create polysaccharides.
Therefore, starch is a polysaccharide.
The bond between sugars is called a glycosidic link. The reaction used to create the
bond is called a condensation or dehydration synthesis reaction.
The process of digestion breaks down polysaccharides into monosaccharides which
can then be used at the cellular level. This process breaks down glycosidic links, in
a chemical reaction called hydrolysis.
All molecules can be represented using molecular formular. Sugars are a series of
compounds that can be represented using a base formular called an empirical
formular.
(CH2O)n
where n > 4
n (no. of Carbons)
Prefix
MethEthPropButPentHex-
1
2
3
4
5
6
(CH2O)n n=5 subscript [CTRL] +/=
(CH2O)5  C5H10O5
n=6
C6H12O6 Hexose
Pentose
An isomer is a compound that has the same molecular formula but different
structural formular.
Isomers of Hexose include:
 alpha(α)-glucose
 beta(β)-glucose
 fructose
 galactose
Disaccharides are 2 units of sugar bonded together.
Examples of disaccharides include:
 maltose (α-glucose - α-glucose) bread sugar
 sucrose (α-glucose – fructose) table sugar
 lactose (galactose - α-glucose) milk sugar