On the Effectiveness of Orally Administered Diastase in Achylia Pancreatica (DOG)

Abstract

Absolute pancreatic achylia was produced by separating the pancreas from the duodenum in six dogs, which were fed a high starch (62%) diet. Prior to the production of the achylia the dogs did not show amylorrhoea while on the diet. After the production of the achylia the starch in the feces varied from 18 to 39% in the different dogs. The administration of diastatic enzymes in relatively large amounts very definitely reduced the starch loss in each dog, proving the effectiveness of oral diastatic therapy in pancreatic deficiency. The vegetable diastases were more efficient than pancreatic amylase (pancreatin) which is most probably due to the latter being more readily inactivated by the gastric acidity than the former. Enteric coating of the pancreatic amylase (pancreatin) rendered it as effective as the vegetable diastases; but the enteric coated pancreatin was not as effective as the vegetable diastases on the basis of the enzymic units administered.