ABSTRACT
Enteric hyperoxaluria manifests due to hyperabsorption of dietary oxalate, secondary to a variety of chronic gastrointestinal disorders. The potential use of chitosan immobilized oxalate oxidase-catalase conjugate to deplete the oxalate content of food materials, while they are in the digestive tract has been evaluated by treating rat stomach chyme with such an enzyme preparation. Oxalate oxidase, obtained from beet stem, was adsorbed on chitosan along with catalase and then cross linked with glutaraldehyde to stabilize the derivative. This chemical modification of oxalate oxidase brought about a shift in its optimal pH from 4.2 to 3.8 with a marginal increase in its K(m). Compared to native enzyme, the modified oxalate oxidase exhibited increased storage stability, higher thermal stability and enhanced resistance to proteolytic digestion and heavy metal inactivation. These improved properties of the immobilized oxalate oxidase possibly render it suitable for oral administration under hyperoxaluric conditions.