Therapeutic Enzymes
Therapeutic Enzymes
Therapeutic Enzymes
U. C. Banerjee
Professor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology (Biotechnology)
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research
Sector- 67, S.A.S Nagar
Mohali 160062
E-mail:- [email protected]
Visit us:- www.niper.gov.in
Differences between enzyme as a drug
and other drugs
Enzymes often bind and act on their targets with
great affinity and specificity
Enzymes convert multiple target molecules to the
desired products
proteinaceous in nature thus cant be administered
orally, need to be specially formulated as enteric
coated if intended for oral therapy
Need to be of very high purity, inferior preparations
have shown to elicit severe immune response
Sources of therapeutic enzymes
Animal sources
Plant sources
Microbial sources
Bacterial sources
Fungal sources
Examples of animal sources
Trypsin (Ox bile)
Chymotripsin (Ox bile and pancreas)
Lipase ( Pancreas)
Alteplase ( Chinese hamster)
Urokinase ( Human urine)
Lysozyme ( Hen eggs)
Adenosine deaminase ( Bovine intestine)
Pepsin (Hog pancreas)
Ribonuclease
Dornase (recombinant human cells)
Urokinase (human urine)
Reptilase (snakevenom, borthrops atrox)
Examples of plant sources
Fungal sources
Protease (Serratia spp.)
Brinase ( Aspergillus oryzae)
Lipase (Aspergillus oryzae)
Amylase ( Aspergillus spp.)
Uricase (Candida utilis)
Choice of enzyme sources
Microbes are preferred because
They are generally cheaper to produce
Their enzyme content is more predictable and
controllable
plasminogen plasmin
Fibrin fragments
(Soluble)
Streptokinase
It is obtained from beta haemolytic Streptococci
group C
Inactive as such: combines with the circulating
plasminogen to form an activator complex which
then causes limited proteolysis of other
plasminogen molecules to plasmin
It is antigenic, can cause hypersensitivity
reactions and anaphylaxis
Urokinase
Isolated from human urine, now prepared by cultured
human kidney cells
Activates plasminogen directly
Non antigenic
Altepase (recombinant tissue
Plasminogen Activator-rtPA)
It is produced by recombinant DNA
technology using human tissue culture
It specifically activates gel phase
plasminogen already bound to fibrin
It is a serine protease of 527 amino acid
residues
Binds to fibrin via lysine binding sites
which are in a finger domain
It is a rather expensive product
Nattokinase
It is used as an 5' CH
2 O
antiviral agent to
H H
hydrolyse the viral
Ribonuclease 1 O OH
{
RNA
phospho HO P O
Ribonuclease 1 diester
O
from pancreas linkage Base
OH OH
Hyaluronidase
Obtained from bovine testicular tissue extracts
It breaks down hyaluronic acid in connective
tissue, tempprarily decreases the viscosity of
cellular cement and thus increasing tissue
permeability
Also enhances the diffusion of subcutaneously
injected agents
Typically used as an adjunctive agent with local
anaesthetics, here it increases the speed of
onset of action
Hyaluronidase
In cataract surgery, it is given by
retrobulbar injection to increase the
hypotonic effect of local anesthetics
Used to treat extravasations caused by
antineoplastics, vinca alkaloids
(vincristine, vinblastine, vinorelbine)
The prepration has the potential for
contamination with bovine pathogens
Papain
A protein cleaving enzyme derived from
papaya
Therapeutic indications include:
Defibrination of wounds in hospitals
Prevention of cornea scar deformation
Treatment of jellyfish and insect stings
Treatment of edemas, inflammatory processes,
acceleration of wound healings
Ingredient of cleaning solutions of soft contact
lenses
Pancreatic Enzymes Digestive aids
Lipases digestion of fats. Deficiency
leads to malabsorption of fats and fat-
soluble vitamins
Amylases break down starch molecules
into smaller sugars. Secreted by salivary
glands and the pancreas
Proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin,
carboxypeptidases) break down proteins to
amino acids
Commercially available in combination
packs, indicated in food alergies
Pacreatic enzymes other uses
Anti-inflammatory agent in cases of
trauma, inflammation, thrombophlebitis
In autoimmune conditions such as
Rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus
erythmatosus, scleroderma and multiple
sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohns
disease and AIDS
These enzymes reduce the no. of
circulating immune complexes which are
responsible for the disease process
Conclusions.
The onus in on biotechnology to produce
safer and cheaper enzymes with
enhanced potency and specificity
Treatment of rare diseases should be
sought
Oral administration, confirmed efficacy
and prolonged effects
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