Bromelain
 Pineapple, one member of the Bromeliaceae family |
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| Effective temperature | 40-60 °C |
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| Optimal temperature | 50-60 °C |
| Deactivation temperature | approx. above 65 °C |
| Effective pH | 4.0-8.0 |
| Optimal pH | 4.5-5.5 |
Bromelain can refer to one of two protease enzymes extracted from the plant family Bromeliaceae, or it can refer to a combination of those enzymes along with other compounds produced in an extract.
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Extract Components
Bromelain extract is a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes—called proteolytic enzymes or proteases and several other substances in smaller quantities. The proteolytic enzymes are referred to as sulfhydryl proteases since a free sulfhydryl group of a cysteine side-chain is required for function. The two main enzymes are:
The other substances typically include peroxidase, acid phosphatase, protease inhibitors, and calcium.
History
The first isolation of bromelain was recorded by the Venezuelan chemist Vicente Marcano[1] (BU1 1.Phar. 5,77) in 1891 from the fruit of pineapple. In 1892, Chittenden, assisted by Joslin and Meara, investigated the matter fully (Trans. Conn. Acad. Arts Sci. 8, 281-308), and called it 'bromelin'. Later the term 'bromelain' was introduced and originally applied to any protease from any plant member of the plant family Bromeliaceae.
Bromelain was first introduced as a therapeutic supplement in 1957. Research on bromelain apparently was first conducted in Hawaii but more recently has been conducted in countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Germany has recently taken a great interest in bromelain research; bromelain is currently the 13th most widely used herbal medicine in Germany.
Source
Bromelain is present in all parts of the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus), but the stem is the most common commercial source, presumably because it is readily available after the fruit has been harvested. Pineapples have had a long tradition as a medicinal plant among the natives of South and Central America.
Uses
Meat tenderizing
Along with papain, bromelain is one of the most popular substances to use for meat tenderizing.
Today, about 90% of meat tenderizer is used in consumer households. Bromelain is sold in a powdered form, which is combined with a marinade, or directly sprinkled on the uncooked meat. The enzyme will penetrate the meat, and by a process called forking, cause the meat to be tender and palatable when cooked. If the enzyme is allowed to work for too long, the meat may become too "mushy" for many consumers' preferences. Cooked or canned pineapple does not have a tenderizing effect, as the enzymes are heat labile.
Some prepared meat products, such as meatballs, and commercially available marinades include pineapple and/or pineapple-derived ingredients.
Apart from the mushiness of meat that has been over-tenderised, the activity of bromelain and similarly proteolytic plant enzymes can be undesirable where it is inappropriate. In dishes that depend on their protein content for important attributes uncooked pineapple or its juice can be a nuisance. For example, some dishes such as brawn and jelly (called jello in the US) rely on the setting of gelatine. They will not set if they contain raw pineapple or pineapple juice. Raw figs, papaya, and similarly proteolytic vegetable matter causes similar problems. To prevent the problem the fruit should first be cooked, or at least parboiled sufficiently to inactivate the enzymes. Thorough heating to above about 65 degrees C will generally suffice.[2] This problem does not affect dishes based on non-proteinaceaous gelling agents such as agar, though such agents may be prevented from gelling by too much heating in acid recipes.
Potential medical uses
Bromelain has a number of uses in folk medicine and is under scientific study for its potential as a human therapeutic. First introduced in medical research in 1957, bromelain may work by blocking some proinflammatory metabolites that accelerate and worsen the inflammatory process. In vitro research has shown that bromelain decreases migration of neutrophils to sites of acute inflammation, and, in vivo, bromelain has generated a 50-85% reduction in neutrophil migration.[3] As a potential anti-inflammatory agent, it may be useful for treating arthritis[4], but is not yet approved with a health claim status by the Food and Drug Administration.
Systemic enzyme therapy (consisting of combinations of proteolytic enzymes such as bromelain, trypsin, chemotrypsin and papain) has been investigated in Europe to evaluate the efficacy of proteolytic enzymes in the treatment of breast, colorectal, and plasmacytoma cancer patients.[5] Preliminary studies have shown that systemic enzyme treatment may reduce side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea, weight loss and fatigue.
As bromelain supplementation may affect heart rate, care should be used by those with heart disease.[6]
Production
It is produced in Thailand, Taiwan, and other tropical parts of the world where pineapples are grown.
Bromelain is prepared from the stem part of the pineapple plant after harvesting the fruit. This stem part is peeled, crushed and pressed to get the juice containing the soluble bromelain enzyme. Further processing includes purification and concentration of the enzyme.
Other plant proteases
Other plant proteases include papain (from the papaya), actinidin (from the kiwi fruit), and ficin (from the fig).
See also
- Naturopathic medicine
- Phytonutrients
References
- ↑ "PDVSA article citing Vicente Marcano (in Spanish)". http://www.pdvsa.com/lexico/pioneros/marcano.htm.
- ↑ Watt, J.M. & Breyer-Brandwijk, M.G., The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa, 2nd ed. Pub: E&S Livingstone 1962
- ↑ Fitzhugh DJ, Shan S, Dewhirst MW et al. (2008). Bromelain treatment decreases neutrophil migration to sites of inflammation. Clin Immunol. 128:66-74.
- ↑ Brien S, Lewith G, Walker A (2004). "Bromelain as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis: a Review of Clinical Studies". Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM. 1 (3): 251–257. doi:10.1093/ecam/neh035. PMID 15841258.
- ↑ Beuth J. (2008). Proteolytic enzyme therapy in evidence-based complementary oncology: fact of fiction? Integr Cancer Ther. 7:311-316.
- ↑ "Bromelain". MedlinePlus. National Institute of Health. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-bromelain.html. Retrieved 10-July-2009. "Bromelain may increase heart rate at higher doses and should be used cautiously in people with heart disease"
- Heinicke, R.M. and W.A. Gortner. 1957. Stem bromelain-a new protease preparation from pineapple plants. Econ. Bot. 11 (3): 225-234.
- Gutfreund A, Taussig S, Morris A (1978). "Effect of oral bromelain on blood pressure and heart rate of hypertensive patients". Hawaii medical journal 37 (5): 143–6. PMID 659096.
- Gregory S. Kelly, N.D. Bromelain: A Literature Review and Discussion of its Therapeutic Applications (Alt Med Rev 1996;1(4):243-257)
External links
- The MEROPS online database for peptidases and their inhibitors: Stem Bromelain:C01.005, Fruit Bromelain:C01.028
- MeSH Bromelains
- Technical information, Enzyme University
- Bromelain, University of Maryland Medical Center
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