amylas

Amylase, sometimes written amylas in some languages, is a digestive enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch and other polysaccharides into smaller sugars. In humans, amylase is produced mainly by the salivary glands (salivary amylase) and the pancreas (pancreatic amylase). The enzyme begins carbohydrate digestion in the mouth, where salivary amylase acts on starch, and continues in the small intestine, where pancreatic amylase converts starch breakdown products into maltose, maltotriose, and dextrins. Additional forms are produced by plants and microbes and have extensive industrial applications, including in food processing and fermentation.

Biochemical properties and function: Amylases are glycoside hydrolases that target alpha-1,4 glycosidic bonds. They do not degrade cellulose. In humans, the two main physiologic sources are the salivary glands and the pancreas; only a limited amount of intestinally produced amylase is active after secretion.

Clinical relevance: Serum amylase testing is a common, rapid diagnostic tool used to evaluate abdominal pain and suspected pancreatitis. Amylase levels typically rise within hours of onset and may return to normal within a few days. However, amylase is not specific for pancreatitis and can be elevated in salivary gland disease, renal failure (reduced clearance), intestinal obstruction, ectopic pregnancy, and macroamylasemia, in which amylase forms complexes with immunoglobulins. Urine amylase testing can supplement serum testing in certain contexts.

See also: Amylase test, Pancreatitis, Sialadenitis.