Absorption of Orally Administered Enzymes

This book is a compilation of papers that arose from a multidisciplinary workshop held at the Walter-Straub-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology in Munich in September 1993 to review the current state fo knowledge relating to the oral administration of enzymes, especially proteases, as therapeutic agents. Issues such as the gastrointestinal absorption of intact macromolecules and the efficacy of oral enzyme preparations have been critically discussed, and areas requiring further investigation have been identified. This is the first time that objective information on this topic has been collected together from so many relevant disciplines. While absorption of intact proteins is now a proven phenomenon, its exploitation in therapeutics is still in its infancy, and this book should provide a sound scientific background for such applications and for further research.