1981 Volume 29 Issue 10 Pages 2966-2973
The effect on digestive enzymes of stomachic crude drugs that were often compounded in gastrointestinal OTC drugs was investigated. The β-amylase activity of takadiastase was slightly inhibited by cloves and extract of scopolia. Coptis root and extract of scopolia were weak inhibitors of saccharated pepsin. The proteolytic activity of pancreatin was inhibited by 50% in the presence of 5 mg of cinnamon, phellodendron or Japanese prickly ash berry under the conditions used. Cinnamon inhibited trypsin and chymotrypsin, proteases in pancreatin. The inhibitory activity of cinnamon varied from sample to sample ; it was localized in the water-soluble and the residual fractions, and little inhibitory activity was found in the volatile oil fraction. Cinnamic acid, methyl cinnamate, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl alcohol were not inhibitory. Antiproteolytic activity was found in both the inner and outer solutions after dialysis of the 25% ethanol extract of cinnamon. Hide powder treatment removed inhibitory activity in the outer solution, while that in the inner solution was unchanged.
