Products
Digestive enzymes are commercially available as drugs and dietary supplements, including tablets and capsules. Unlike other therapeutic proteins, they can be ingested and do not need to be injected. They can usually be stored at room temperature.
Structure and properties
Digestive enzymes are proteins produced by living organisms. They are obtained on the one hand from the pancreas of animals, like pancreatic powder (pancreatin), or on the other hand from microoganisms such as , and . As a rule, they are not human proteins.
Effects
The drugs (ATC A09AA ) are taken for substitution in cases of insufficient endogenous formation or secretion of digestive enzymes. They act locally in the stomach or intestines to catalyze the breakdown of food components such as fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids so that they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The dosage forms are designed to release the enzymes at the desired site of action in the stomach or small intestine. This is because they require certain conditions (pH) to be functional and not degraded. If digestion is incomplete or absent (maldigestion), nutrients enter the large intestine, where they are fermented by the intestinal flora, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, nausea and flatulence.
Indications
For the treatment of maldigestion:
- Indigestion, e.g., with flatulence, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
- Underfunction of the pancreas (exocrine pancreatic insufficiency).
- Lactose intolerance (lactase)
Dosage
According to the professional information. The dose is determined individually and depends on the product and meals.
Active ingredients
The following is a list of the most common digestive enzymes used therapeutically: Amylases, Maltases, Invertases:
- Substrates: carbohydrates
Lipases:
- Substrates: fats, triglycerides
Proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin, elastase, carboxypeptidase, pepsin):
- Substrates: proteins (proteins).
Cellulases:
- Substrates: cellulose (fruits, vegetables, fiber).
Lactase (Tilactase):
Alpha-galactosidase:
- Oligosaccharides with galactose.
Pancreatin (pancreatic powder) contains a mixture of proteases, lipases and amylases.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
For complete precautions, see the drug label.
Interactions
Digestive enzymes may degrade agents taken concomitantly if substrates are involved.
Adverse effects
Possible adverse effects include gastrointestinal discomfort. However, these may also be due to the underlying condition.
