Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) class drug that suppresses the final step in gastric acid production. In this pathway, pantoprazole is oxidized in the stomach to form the active metabolite of pantoprazole. 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. Pantoprazole 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.

Pantoprazole Pathway References