Pantaz Mechanism of Action

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Selective proton pump inhibitor, substituted benzimidazole. ATC code: A02BC02.
Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Mechanism of action: Pantoprazole is a substituted benzimidazole which inhibits the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach by specific blockade of the proton pumps of the parietal cells.
Pantoprazole is converted to its active form in the acidic environment in the parietal cells where it inhibits the H+, K+-ATPase enzyme, i.e. the final stage in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. The inhibition is dose-dependent and affects both basal and stimulated acid secretion. In most patients, freedom from symptoms is achieved within 2 weeks. As with other proton pump inhibitors and H2 receptor inhibitors, treatment with pantoprazole reduces acidity in the stomach and thereby increases gastrin in proportion to the reduction in acidity. The increase in gastrin is reversible.
Since pantoprazole binds to the enzyme distal to the cell receptor level, it can inhibit hydrochloric acid secretion independently of stimulation by other substances (acetylcholine, histamine, gastrin). The effect is the same whether the product is given orally or intravenously.
The fasting gastrin values increase under pantoprazole. On short-term use, in most cases they do not exceed the upper limit of normal. During long-term treatment, gastrin levels double in most cases. An excessive increase, however, occurs only in isolated cases.
During treatment with antisecretory medicinal products, serum gastrin increases in response to the decreased acid secretion. Also CgA increases due to decreased gastric acidity. The increased CgA level may interfere with investigations for neuroendocrine tumours. Available published evidence suggests that proton pump inhibitors should be discontinued between 5 days and 2 weeks prior to CgA measurements. This is to allow CgA levels that might be spuriously elevated following PPI treatment to return to reference range.
Pharmacokinetics: Absorption: After ingestion, pantoprazole is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. On average the maximum serum concentrations (Cmax) of 1 to 1.5 μg/mL (pantoprazole 20 mg tablet) or 2 to 3 μg/mL (pantoprazole 40 mg tablet) are achieved at about 2 to 2.5 hours after administration. After single and repeated administration of pantoprazole, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of pantoprazole are very similar.
Both oral and I.V. administration of pantoprazole in the dose range of 10 mg to 80 mg result in linear serum pharmacokinetics. The absolute bioavailability from the tablet was found to be about 77%.
Concomitant intake of food had no relevant influence either on the AUC or on the Cmax and, thus, bioavailability. Only the variability of the lag-time will be increased by concomitant food intake.
Distribution: Pantoprazole's serum protein binding is about 98%, and in keeping with this, pantoprazole has a low volume of distribution (about 0.15 l/kg) and limited tissue distribution.
Metabolism: Pantoprazole is rapidly eliminated from the circulation and extensively metabolized in the liver.
Metabolism occurs via oxidation by the CYP enzyme system, predominantly by CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 (Phase I metabolism, which is saturable). Pantoprazole undergoes further biotransformation by conjugation with sulphate, which involves the cytoplasmic enzyme sulphotransferase (phase II metabolism, which is not saturable), and which presents the main metabolism of pantoprazole.
Excretion and Elimination: About 80% of the metabolites of pantoprazole are eliminated via the renal route, the rest via the feces. None of the metabolites are considered as biologically active. The main metabolite in both the serum and urine is desmethylpantoprazole, which is conjugated with sulphate. T1/2 of the main metabolite is about 1.5 hour (which is not much longer than that of pantoprazole, 1 hour).
Special Populations: Impaired renal function: In patients with impaired renal function (including dialysis), pantoprazole showed no prolonged elimination half-life and no accumulation when compared with healthy subjects. No dose adjustment is necessary in patients with impaired renal function.
Impaired hepatic function: No accumulation following once-daily dosing.
Drug Interactions: Pantoprazole is metabolized in the liver via the CYP enzyme system. An interaction of pantoprazole with other drugs or compounds, which are metabolized using the same enzyme system, cannot be ruled out. Nevertheless, in specific tests pantoprazole did not affect the clearance of several compounds metabolized by CYP enzymes. Vice-versa, all drugs in regards with their potential influence on the pharmacokinetics of pantoprazole had no relevant effect.
Metabolism of pantoprazole occurs via oxidation by the CYP enzyme system, predominantly by CYP2C19 and CYP3A4. Interaction studies with drugs also metabolized by these pathways, like carbamazepine, diazepam, glibenclamide, nifedipine, phenytoin, and an oral contraceptive containing levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol did not reveal clinically significant interactions. Results from a range of interaction studies demonstrate that pantoprazole does not affect the metabolism of active substances metabolized by CYP1A2 (such as caffeine, theophylline), CYP2C9 (such as piroxicam, diclofenac, naproxen), CYP2D6 (such as metoprolol), or CYP2E1 (such as ethanol) does not interfere with p-glycoprotein related absorption of digoxin.