Art. Cornelli

GASTRIC STABILITY STUDY OF SUPPLEMENTAL DIGESTIVE ENZYMES In order to meet the cellular demands of adequate nutrients, there must be a good selection of the foods containing the nutrients and also a good digestion/absorption within the gastrointestinal tract. This awareness to ensure good bioavailability of nutrients is gaining more interest. As a result, the administration of supplemental digestive enzymes has increased. Also, the growing incidences of digestive disorders resulting mostly from malabsorption have led to an increase in the supply and oral administration of digestive enzymes. It should also be noted that supplemental digestive enzymes have also been used successfully as adjunct to various forms of therapies. Materials: various fungal enzymes (protease 4.5, acid protease, lipase, lactase amylase, cellulase, and glucoamylase). Other enzymes used were bromelain and papain. Simulated gastric fluid (pH=2 with 3.2 mg/ml pepsin Sigma), and simulated intestinal fluid with pancreatic enzymes. In order to address the objective, specific enzymes were exposed to a simulated gastric fluid (U. S. Pharmacopea) formulation. The specific enzymes include various proteolytic enzymes (fungal proteases, bromelain, papain) as well as glucoamylase, lactase, lipase, and cellulase. Each of the commercial enzyme products was incubated at 37C in a solution of simulated gastric fluid (USP) at pH=2 and containing 3.2 mg/ml of pepsin (Sigma cat# P-7000). The data in this study indicated the enzymes used could sustain the simulated gastric fluid (low pH and presence of the enzyme pepsin). The conditions of these experiments, i.e., direct contact of the enzymes with the harsh simulated gastric fluid do not occur under normal conditions. This set of data indicated that even without the benefits therein mentioned of the ingested foods, i.e., protective shield and buffering, the supplemental enzymes used in this study could sustain the stomach environment, as can be deduced from the simulated gastric fluid exposure.