Pantoprazole
ProtonixPubChem CID 4679 · 3D model
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Permanently switches off the acid pumps in the stomach lining, so the body has to make new pumps before acid production can start up again.
How it works
Pantoprazole shuts off the tiny pumps in the stomach lining that push acid out. It travels to those pumps, locks onto them permanently, and stops them from working. Because the lock is permanent, the stomach has to build brand-new pumps before acid production can start again, which is why one dose keeps acid low for a long time. This is the same basic mechanism as omeprazole and esomeprazole, also on this site.
What it’s used for
Pantoprazole is approved to treat acid reflux damage to the esophagus (erosive esophagitis) caused by GERD, to keep that damage from coming back, and to manage rare conditions where the stomach makes far too much acid, such as Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
- Mechanism
- Proton pump (H+/K+ ATPase) inhibitor
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Gastrointestinal