Zenpep: uses, dosage, side effects, warnings - Medicine.com (2023)

What is Zenpep?

Zenpep is a medication prescribed for people who cannot digest food normally because their pancreas does not produce enough enzymes. Zenpep can help your body use fats, proteins and sugars from food.

Zenpep contains a blend of digestive enzymes including lipases, proteases and amylases from porcine pancreas.

Zenpep is safe and effective for children.

What is the most important information I should know about Zenpep?

• Zenpep can increase your chances of getting a rare bowel disease called fibrotic colonopathy. This condition is serious and may require surgery. The risk of developing this condition can be reduced by following the dosage instructions provided by your doctor. Call your doctor right away if you experience anything unusual or serious:
• Pain in the stomach (abdominal) region.
• Inflation
• Difficulty defecating (with bowel movements)
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Take Zenpep exactly as prescribed. Do not take more or less ZENPEP than your doctor has told you.

What should I tell my doctor before taking Zenpep?

Before taking Zenpep, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:

• are allergic to pork products.
• you have a history of bowel obstruction or scarring or thickening of the bowel wall (fibrous colonic disease)
• you have gout, kidney disease, or high uric acid in your blood (hyperukaemia)
• you have difficulty swallowing the capsules
• have any other medical condition
• you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It is not known whether Zenpep will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.
• are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known whether Zenpep passes into breast milk. You and your doctor must decide whether you want to take ZENPEP or breast-feed.

Tell your doctor about all medications you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements.

Know the medication you are taking. Keep a list of them and show it to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

How should I take Zenpep?

• Take Zenpep exactly as directed by your doctor.
• Do not take more capsules per day than the amount prescribed by your doctor. (total daily dose).
• Always take Zenpep with a meal or snack. If you have several meals or snacks a day, be careful not to exceed your total daily intake.
• Do not crush or chew Zenpep capsules or their contents and do not hold the capsule or its contents in your mouth. Crushing, chewing or holding Zenpep capsules in the mouth can cause irritation in the mouth or change the way Zenpep works in the body.

Provides Zenpep for children and adults

• Swallow the Zenpep capsules whole and take them with enough liquid to swallow them immediately.
• If you have difficulty swallowing the capsules, open them and sprinkle the spheres on a small amount of acidic foods, such as applesauce, mashed bananas or pears. Ask your doctor about other foods you can mix with Zenpep.
• If you sprinkle Zenpep on food, swallow it immediately after mixing. Do not store Zenpep mixed with food.
• Swallow Zenpep and the food mixture immediately afterwards with water or juice. Make sure the medicine is swallowed completely.
• If you forget to take Zenpep, contact your doctor or wait until your next meal and take the usual number of capsules. Do not take missed doses. Take the next dose at the usual time.

Administration of Zenpep to infants (children up to 12 months):

1. Give Zenpep immediately before each feeding with formula or breast milk.

2. Do not mix Zenpep capsule contents directly into formula or breast milk.

3. Open the capsule and sprinkle the contents over a small amount of applesauce, banana or pear puree. These foods should be those found in jars of store-bought baby food or other foods recommended by your doctor. You can also spray the contents directly into your child's mouth.

4. If you sprinkle Zenpep on food, give Zenpep and the food mixture to your child immediately.

5. Give your child enough liquid to completely swallow the contents of Zenpep or Zenpep and food mix.

6. Look into your child's mouth to make sure all of the medication has been swallowed.

What are the possible side effects of Zenpep?

Zenpep can cause serious side effects such as:

I see "What is the most important information I should know about Zenpep?”

• Worsening of swollen and painful joints (gout) caused by increased levels of uric acid in the blood
• Allergic reactions, including breathing problems, skin rashes or swollen lips.

Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms.

The most common side effects of Zenpep include:

• pain in your abdomen
• Gas
• Headache

Other possible side effects

Zenpep and other pancreatic enzyme products are made from the pancreas of pigs, the same pigs that humans eat pork. These pigs can transmit viruses. Although it has never been reported, it may be possible for a person to contract a viral infection from consuming porcine pancreatic enzyme products.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

These are not all possible Zenpep side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You can report side effects to the FDA by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

You can also report side effects to Allergan by calling 1-800-678-1605.

Photos of Zenpep

• Pangrelipase Zenpep (5,000 units lipase, 17,000 units protease, 27,000 units amylase)
• Zenpep Pangrelipase (3,000 units lipase, 10,000 units protease, 16,000 units amylase)
• Zenpep Pangrelipase (3,000 units lipase, 10,000 units protease, 14,000 units amylase)
• Pangrelipase Zenpep (5,000 units lipase, 17,000 units protease, 24,000 units amylase)

General information on using Zenpep safely and effectively

Medications are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a medication guide. Do not use Zenpep for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Zenpep to other people, even if they have the same symptoms as you. It can hurt them.

This medication guide summarizes the most important information about Zenpep. If you want more information, talk to your doctor. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about Zenpep written for healthcare professionals. For more information accesswww.ZENPEP.comor call 1-800-678-1605.

How should I store Zenpep?

• Store Zenpep at room temperature (68º to 77ºF, 20º to 25ºC). Avoid the heat.
• After opening the bottle, keep it tightly closed between doses.
• DO NOT eat or throw away the packet (desiccant) from the medicine bottle. This package will protect your medicine from moisture.
• Store Zenpep in a dry place.

Keep Zenpep and all medications out of the reach of children.

What are the ingredients in Zenpep?

Active ingredient: lipase, protease, amylase

Inactive Ingredients: Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Croscarmellose Sodium, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hypromellose Phthalate, Magnesium Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Talc and Triethyl Citrate in Hypromellose Capsules.

Red radial print on capsule with 3000 strength Contains, DC 1510 Antifoam, Industrial Methylated Alcohol, Iron Oxide Red C.I. 77491-E172, n-butyl alcohol, shellac and soy lecithin.

Blue radial print on 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000 and 40,000 capsule strengths contains dehydrated alcohol, FD&C Blue #2 C.I. 73015-E132 aluminum lake, isopropyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, propylene glycol, shellac and strong ammonia solution.

Capsule Ingredients:

3,000 USP units and 5,000 USP units of lipase contain carnauba wax or talc;

carrageenan, hypromellose, potassium chloride, titanium oxide and water.

10,000 Lipase USP Units contain carnauba wax or talc, carrageenan, hypromellose,

potassium chloride, titanium oxide, water and yellow iron oxide.

15,000 Lipase Units USP contains carnauba wax or talc, carrageenan, hypromellose,

potassium chloride, red iron oxide, titanium oxide and water.

20,000 Lipase USP Units contains Carnauba Wax or Talc, Carrageenan, FD&C Blue #2,

hypromellose, potassium chloride, titanium oxide, water and yellow iron oxide.

25,000 Lipase USP Units contains carnauba wax or talc, carrageenan, FD&C Blue #2,

hypromellose, potassium chloride, titanium oxide and water.

40,000 USP Lipase Units contains FD&C Yellow #6,

hypromellose, titanium oxide and water.