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Digestive enzymes are a group of enzymes that divide polymeric macromolecules into smaller

building blocks, facilitating their absorption. Digestive enzymes are found in animals & carnivorous
plants, aiding in food digestion. Digestive enzymes of diverse specificities are found in
the saliva secreted by the salivary glands, in the stomach, small and large intestines secretory cells,
in the pancreatic juice secreted by pancreatic exocrine cells.

Digestive enzymes are subclassified based on their target substrate molecules:

 Lipases divide fatty acids into fats and oils.
 Proteases and peptidases divide proteins into small peptides and amino acids.
 Amylases divide carbohydrates  as starch and sugars into simple sugars such
as glucose res[ectively.
 Nucleases divide nucleic acids into nucleotides.

Definition :
Enzymes are proteins that help accelerating chemical reactions, or the
process of metabolism. They create some substances and split others. All
livings have enzymes. Our bodies produce enzymes naturally, but enzymes
are also found in manufactured products and food.

The Role of Enzymes in the Digestive System

Chemical digestion could not proceed without the digestive enzymes aid.

An enzyme is a protein that accelerates up chemical reactions in the body.
Digestive enzymes speed up chemical reactions that split up large food
molecules into smaller one.

Digestive enzymes are produced, or secreted, by the digestive system

organs. These enzymes involve proteases that digest proteins, and nucleases
that digest nucleic acids.

Examples of digestive enzymes are:

 Amylase, produced in the mouth, aids split up large starch molecules
into smaller sugar molecules.
 Pepsin, produced in the stomach, aids split up proteins into amino
acids.
 Trypsin, produced in the pancreas. Trypsin also split up proteins.
 Pancreatic lipase, produced in the pancreas, used to break apart fats.

 Deoxyribonuclease and ribonuclease, produced in the pancreas,

break bonds in nucleic acids like DNA and RNA.

Enzymes use these nutrients for growth and cellular repair.

Enzymes also aid with:

 Breathing.
  Building muscle.
 Nerve function.
 Ridding our bodies of toxins.

Digestive Enzymes Types

Each of the different digestive enzymes targets a specific nutrient component and divides it up
into a substitute that can be then absorbed.

The most important digestive enzymes are:

 Amylase
 Maltase
 Lactase
 Lipase
 Proteases
 Sucrase

Amylase
Amylase is important structure for carbohydrates digestion. It split up starches into sugars.
Amylase is secreted by salivary glands and pancreas. The measurement of amylase levels in the
blood is used as a factor in diagnosing various pancreatic or other digestive tract diseases.

High levels of amylase in the blood indicate:

 A blocked or injured pancreatic duct.

 Pancreatic cancer
 Acute pancreatitis

Low levels of amylase may indicate chronic pancreatitis or liver disease.

Maltase
The small intestine produces maltase, which is responsible for splitting maltose (malt sugar)
into glucose (simple sugar). The cells uses glucose for energy. starch is partially transformed into
maltose by amylases during digestion, maltase enzyme then converts maltose into glucose and
this sugar is then used immediately by the cells or stored in the liver as glycogen for future
usage.

Lactase
Lactase (also called lactase-phlorizin hydrolase) is an enzyme that split up lactose & turns
lactose into the simple sugars; glucose and galactose. Lactase is produced by enterocytes that
line the intestinal tract wall. Lactose that is not absorbed by bacterial fermentation in the gut.
This can cause colonic gases distension and an upset stomach.3

Lipase
Lipase is responsible for the breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol (simple sugar
alcohol) & is produced in small amounts by mouth and stomach, and in larger amounts by the
pancreas.

Proteases
Also called peptidases, proteinases or proteolytic enzymes, these digestive enzymes split proteins
into amino acids. Also, they play a role in numerous body processes, including:

 Cell division
 Blood clotting
 Immune function4

Proteases are produced in the stomach and pancreas. The main ones are:

 Pepsin: Pepsin is secreted by the stomach to split up proteins into peptides, or other

smaller groupings of amino acids. Those amino acids are afterthat either absorbed or
broken down further in the small intestine.
 Trypsin: forms when an enzyme secreted by the pancreas is activated by an enzyme in
the small intestine, Trypsin then activates additional pancreatic enzymes, such
as chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase, to help split up peptides.
 Chymotrypsin: split up peptides into free amino acids that can be absorbed by the
intestinal wall.
 Carboxypeptidase A: Secreted by the pancreas, it divides peptides into individual amino
acids.
  Carboxypeptidase B: Secreted by the pancreas, it split up basic amino acids.

Sucrase
Sucrase is secreted by the small intestine, where it split up sucrose (the sugar in table sugar)
into fructose and glucose, these are simpler sugars that the cells can absorb.

Sucrase is found along the intestinal villi which are tiny hair-like structures that line the intestine
and absorb nutrients into the blood.

Conclusion :

Digestive enzymes play a major role in splitting the administered food.

These proteins speed up chemical reactions that turn nutrients into
substances that digestive tract can absorb.

Different types of enzymes target different nutrients:

 Amylase split up carbs and starches

 Protease works on proteins
 Lipase handles fats

Too much or too little of certain enzymes can cause health problems.
Enzymes in the bloodstream can also help healthcare practitioners to
check for injuries and diseases.