Surprising finding for acid reducing drugs

Surprising finding for acid reducing drugs

Acid reducing medicines from the group of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are best-selling drugs that prevent and alleviate stomach problems. PPIs are activated in the acid-producing cells of the stomach, where they block acid production. Researchers made the surprising discovery that zinc-carrying proteins, which are found in all cells, can also activate PPIs -- without the presence of gastric acid. The result could be a key to understanding the …

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Excessive gastric acid can cause not only heartburn, but also chronic complaints such as gastritis or even a stomach ulcer. Doctors usually prescribe a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for treatment. Examples include the medications pantoprazole, omeprazole and rabeprazole. PPIs bind to and block an enzyme in the gastric parietal cells known as the proton pump, effectively reducing the production of gastric acid.PPIs are prodrugs, which means that the