Introduction:

Biochemistry has experienced great development as a particular medical science. Lipase enzymes are obtained from living organisms which are abundant in nature, and have been used in the manufacture of foods, soap, detergents, oils and other industrial products. New classifications are now available of lipase enzymes, and they have been subdivided into groups and subgroups. An interest is also noticed in using them for biodiesel production and in biotechnology and medical genetics.

Objective:

Collect the main updated theoretical considerations about the characterization, classification and uses of lipase enzymes.

Method:

The search for and analysis of the information extended from 1 September to 23 December 2019, for a total 50 papers published in the databases PubMed, Hinari, SciELO and Medline, using the search engine and reference manager EndNote. Forty-two citations were selected for the review, 38 of which were from the last five years.

Conclusions:

Lipase enzymes are proteins that catalyze biological processes. They are active in a wide range of substrates, performing synthesis reactions, hydrolysis or group exchanges. They display a variety of catalytic activities, are less costly and less contaminating, are obtained in large quantities and are produced in a regular manner. They are stable and their production process is more feasible and safer. They are characterized by their ability to catalyze reactions of acidolysis, alcoholysis, aminolysis, esterification, interesterification and transesterification, among other characteristics.

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