Effect of dietary fiber on proteolytic pancreatic enzymes in vitro.

Chymotrypsin, trypsin, carboxypeptidase A and B, elastase and enterokinase activities were measured in buffer solutions and in human duodenal juice after incubation with wheat bran, cellulose, guar gum, pectin, psyllium and lignin. The different types of dietary fiber led to inhibition of enzymatic activity in most experiments, e.g., lignin could totally ablish the activity of isolated trypsin and chymotrypsin. Only in enterokinase was there no influence. Inhibition depended on incubation time; the effect was proportional to fiber concentration and inversely related to enzyme level. Treatment of fiber with hydrochloric acid (pH 1.5) and heat (95 degrees C) destroyed inhibitory activity in some experiments. The effect of lignin on one enzyme (trypsin) was reduced by the addition of another enzyme (chymotrypsin). It is concluded that dietary fiber could affect digestion by inhibiting proteolytic pancreatic enzymes.