UNLABELLED Bromelain, an enzyme extracted from the stem of the pineapple plant has been proposed as a treatment for reducing pain and swelling following acute muscle injuries but studies are yet to be done on its effect on tendon healing. This study therefore investigated the effects of bromelain on tenocyte proliferation and the tendon malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the early stage of healing ...

Bromelain is a general name for a family of sulfhydryl-containing, proteolytic enzymes from the pineapple plant. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of bromelain on platelet count, platelet aggregation and platelet activity in vitro. Blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein of 10 healthy male non-smokers. Platelet count decreased after incubation with 2.5 and...

The alpha-macroglobulin proteinase inhibitors (alpha Ms) are a family of proteins with the unique ability to inhibit a broad spectrum of proteinases. Whereas monomeric, dimeric and tetrameric alpha Ms have been identified in vertebrates, all invertebrate alpha Ms characterized so far have been dimeric. This paper reports the isolation and characterization of a tetrameric alpha M from the tropic...

Background: Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare asbestos related peritoneal neoplasm. Survival is normally poor however, cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy has increased survival in some patients. Hence, new therapies are needed. MUC1 is a glycosylation dependant protein associated with tumour invasiveness, metastasis and chemo resistance. Bromelai...

Oral bromelain has been anecdotally reported to decrease inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC). Proteolytically active bromelain is known to decrease expression of mRNAs encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines by human leukocytes in vitro. To assess the effect of bromelain on mucosal secretion of cytokines in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), endoscopic colon biopsies from patients with UC, Crohn...

Recently, it has emerged that extracellular proteases have specific regulatory roles in modulating immune responses. Proteases may act as signaling molecules to activate the Raf-1/extracellular regulated kinase (ERK)-2 pathway to participate in mitogenesis, apoptosis, and cytokine production. Most reports on the role of protease-mediated cell signaling, however, focus on their stimulatory effec...

CONTEXT Allergic asthma continues to increase despite new pharmacological advances for both acute treatment and chronic-disease management. Asthma is a multifactorial disease process with genetic, allergic, infectious, environmental, and dietary origins. Researchers are investigating the benefits of lifestyle changes and alternative asthma treatments, including the ability of bromelain to inhib...

To the Editor Uleerative eolitis is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the mucosal layer of the colon. Despite multiple treatments, some patients continue to be symptomatic and seek alternative iherapy. We describe two patients who achieved clinical and endoseopic remission after initiation of bromelain supplementation. A 67-year-old woman with a history of ulcerativc proctiti...

Background Whey protein is considered to be the optimal protein source to support muscle protein synthesis (MPS) with resistance training, based on its amino acid content (high in leucine), rapid digestibility, and high bioavailability within the muscle tissue [1]. Athletes can choose from different plant protein sources (e.g. soy, rice, pea, hemp), which differ in numerous ways, such as the pr...

Perennial allergic rhinitis is an IgE-mediated inflammatory disorder of the nasal mucosa characterized by paroxysms of sneezing, nasal congestion, pruritus, and rhinorrhea. The condition may be caused by certain environmental agents, food sensitivities, structural abnormalities, metabolic conditions, or synthetic drugs. Recent health impairment outcome studies on allergic rhinitis sufferers rev...