Lansoprazole, sold as Prevacid, is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) class drug that suppresses the final step in gastric acid production. In this pathway, lansoprazole is taken orally and is oxidized in the stomach to form the active metabolite of lansoprazole. This active metabolite then binds covalently to the potassium-transporting ATPase protein subunits, found at the secretory surface of the gastric parietal cell, preventing any stimulus. Because the drug binds covalently, its effects are dose-dependent and last much longer than similar drugs that bind to the protein non-covalently. This is because additional ATPase enzymes must be created to replace the ones covalently bound by pantoprazole. Lansoprazole is used to manage gastroesophageal reflux disease, to prevent stomach ulcers, and can be used to help treat the effects of a H. pylori infection.

Lansoprazole Pathway (old) References