Chicken pancreatic enzymes for clinical use: Autoactivation of the proteolytic zymogens

The potential of chicken pancreatic enzymes for use as digestive aids was investigated. Frozen chicken pancreas was pulped and the enzymes were extracted at pH 8.0 and 6.0. The extracts were incubated for 165 h at either 0 or 5°C in order to induce autoactivation of the proteases. Extracts at pH 8.0 showed a faster activation rate of trypsin up to 85 h compared with pH 60 extracts, and pH 60 extracts showed a slightly higher trypsin activity upon termination of the incubation period. Higher initial chymotrypsin activity and total proteolytic activity were observed in pH 8.0 than in pH 6.0 extracts. Chymotryptic and total proteolytic activity showed a similar pattern, reaching maximal levels after 42 h incubation. Lipase and amylase activity declined with the increase in proteolytic activity.