A Golden Gift from a Tropical Fruit : The Bromelain Enzyme
Spring is here, bringing longer days and warmer temperatures. As the weather warms up, our thoughts naturally turn to outdoor activities, and we begin searching for refreshing recipes to enjoy on a hot day in the garden or park. One fruit that comes to mind, especially during the warmer months, is pineapple.
Pineapple is incredibly versatile, making its way into salads, desserts, or even refreshing drinks with ice for a poolside afternoon.
After picturing a juicy pineapple, I’d like to highlight some of the benefits this tropical fruit offers—particularly an enzyme found naturally in the fruit, as well as in the stem and bark of the plant, called bromelain.
Bromelain, along with other enzymes like comosain and ananain, is present in Ananas comosus, the scientific name for pineapple. However, we’ll focus specifically on bromelain.
Bromelain is a group of proteolytic enzymes (enzymes that break down proteins), first discovered in the late 19th century. However, it wasn’t fully extracted and characterized until much later. These enzymes are found in various parts of the pineapple plant, with the highest concentrations in the stem, followed by the fruit. Smaller amounts are also present in the leaves and roots. This creates an opportunity to take advantage of the food loss produced during fruit harvesting, allowing for the extraction of beneficial compounds, including bromelain, from all parts of the plant.
When taken as a supplement, bromelain is highly bioavailable, meaning it is efficiently absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract (about 40%), entering the bloodstream within an hour and remaining stable at about 30% for up to 4 hours in the stomach. It has been well-tolerated, with no significant side effects or toxicity observed.
Bromelain is a phytochemical—essentially a beneficial compound found in plants (in this case, pineapples)—that has been studied in vitro, in vivo, and in human trials. Several potential applications have been suggested, which we’ll briefly explore:
Anti-infection: Bromelain has been shown to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics, particularly in treating gastrointestinal infections caused by harmful bacteria like cholera and E. coli, as well as in their prevention.
Anti-inflammatory: Bromelain may help treat inflammatory conditions such as allergies, arthritis, ulcerative colitis (UC), chronic pain, asthma, and multiple sclerosis. It has also been shown to reduce pain and inflammation following surgery, helping speed up recovery.
Cardiovascular health: In both in vitro and in vivo studies, bromelain has been found to reduce thrombus formation, potentially helping in the prevention of angina pectoris, ischemic stroke, and thrombophlebitis.
Cancer management: Research indicates that bromelain may help activate apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, potentially reducing their survival rate and supporting cancer treatment.
Skin care: Bromelain can be beneficial for treating second- or third-degree burns. When included in a topical cream, it helps with debridement—the process of removing damaged tissue from burn wounds—thus accelerating the healing process.
While these potential benefits sound promising, not all of them have been conclusively proven in human studies. Further research is needed to confirm bromelain’s effectiveness across different populations and age groups.
Bromelain is available as a dietary supplement in capsule form at many pharmacies. If you’re considering adding bromelain to your routine, whether for prevention or as an adjunct to your current medication, be sure to consult with your primary care physician. They can help determine whether bromelain is suitable for your specific health needs.
The next time you enjoy a pineapple, think about the additional benefits it brings, adding even more refreshment to a snack shared with family and friends on a warm day.
If you want to learn more and dive deeper into this fascinating topic, stay tuned for our next article, where we will continue exploring this subject.
See you soon!