THE ABSORPTION OF ENZYMES FROM THE GUT AN D THEIR EFFECT WITH REGARD ON WOUND-HEALING

Enzymes can induce a better and more effective healing of injured tiss ue. It should be investigated, whether orally applied enzymes can be a bsorbed in the macromolecular form, whether these enzymes can be detec ted in wounds and whether they are effective after the absorption. Wit h isotopic and immunohistological methods it could be demonstrated tha t the absorption rates correlate with the concentrations in blood. Rad iochromatographic investigation did reveal that 77% of amylase and 54% of trypsin and 50% of pancreatin are in macromolecular form whereas t he percentage with regard to papain and chymotrypsin was below 40%. Al l enzymes without papain could be detected in wounds with immunohistol ogical methods. Orally applied enzymes were able to reduce edema 50% b etter than in control animals. It could be demonstrated that orally ap plied enzymes are partly absorbed in the macromolecular form and that they can act in wounds and edema.