Proteolytic enzymes break peptide bonds in protein molecules and break up high-molecular decay products. With age, the body produces fewer enzymes. In addition, their synthesis is adversely affected by infections, environmental hazards and scarce conditions. Therefore, sometimes they may not be enough in the body.
Classification of proteolytic enzymes
Without proteolytic enzymes in the intestine, food proteins will not be well and quickly digested. All these substances are divided into two types:
- peptidase, cleaving mainly external peptide bonds in peptides and proteins;
- proteinases, mainly hydrolyzing internal peptide bonds.
Peptidases include the most important proteolytic enzymes (chymosin, pepsin and gastricin) and enzymes involved in intestinal digestion (for example, trypsin, elastase, chymotrypsin) for gastric digestion.
Proteinases are enzymes of intestinal juice. They can be serine, threonine, aspartyl and cysteine.
Proteolytic enzymes in drugs
If natural proteolytic enzymes are insufficient to take inhibitor drugs. Today in pharmacies there is a huge number of such medicines. Natural proteolytic enzymes are active components in preparations replenishing their stock. Such enzymatic agents are used to correct various disorders of the digestive process in the small intestine and secretory dysfunction of the stomach.
One of the types of drugs containing these enzymes are extracts of the gastric mucosa, in which the main active substance is pepsin:
- Abomin;
- Acidinpepsin.
These medicines break down almost all natural proteins. They are very often used for gastritis with low acidity, but they should not be used in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases with high acidity.
The second type of medicines is complex preparations, which contain the main proteolytic enzymes of the pancreas of animals. These drugs help reduce the symptoms of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Such signs include:
- decreased appetite;
- rumbling;
- nausea;
- amylorea;
- flatulence .
The most popular and effective modern medicines containing such a complex of enzymes are:
- Pancreatin;
- Lycrase;
- Mezim ;
- Pankurmen;
- Festal;
- Enzistal;
- Digestal;
- Acidin-pepsin.
Proteolytic enzymes in the treatment of various diseases
Proteolytic enzymes are also used in dentistry, surgery and other branches of medicine. The thing is that this type of enzyme, splitting devitalized proteins in the wound, completely deprives microbes of food sources, which contributes to their destruction.
Preparations with proteolytic enzymes (Trypsin, Chymotrypsin) are always used locally in dental practice mainly in complex therapy
Ointment with proteolytic enzymes (for example, Iruksol) can be used for local enzyme therapy of purulent wounds. Such a preparation creates conditions for a smooth and rapid flow of reparative processes, that is, even deep and extensive wounds heal, forming an elastic and soft scar. Also, such ointments can be used to treat decubitus ulcers and trophic ulcers.