Bentiromide

Bentiromide is a dipeptide used as a noninvasive screening test for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and to monitor the adequacy of supplemental pancreatic therapy. It functions by being broken down by the pancreatic enzyme chymotrypsin, yielding p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). After oral administration, the amount of PABA and its metabolites excreted in the urine is measured as an indicator of the chymotrypsin-secreting activity of the pancreas. This provides a quantitative assessment of pancreatic function. Bentiromide was withdrawn from the U.S. market in October 1996 and is currently not available in the U.S. or Canada.

Brand names

Chymex

Other names

N-(N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl)-4-aminobenzoic acid