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Question:
What is bromelain and what is it useful for?
Answer:
Bromelain is a mixture of sulfur-containing protein-digesting enzymes (proteolytic enzymes or proteases) obtained from the stem of the pineapple plant (Ananas comosus). Bromelain was introduced as a medicinal agent in 1957, and since that time more than 200 scientific papers on its therapeutic applications have appeared in medical literature.
Bromelain exerts a wide variety of beneficial effects, including reducing inflammation in cases of arthritis, sports injury or trauma and prevention of swelling (edema) after trauma or surgery. Bromelain has been shown to be effective in a number of other health conditions including angina, indigestion, and upper respiratory tract infections.
The standard dosage of bromelain is based on its m.c.u. (milk clotting unit) or g.d.u. (gelatin-digesting unit) activity. The most beneficial range of activity appears to be 1,800 to 2,000 m.c.u. or g.d.u. Unless bromelain is being used as a digestive aid, administration should be on an empty stomach (before or between meals), the typical dosage being 250 to 750 mg. three times per day.
Although no significant side effects have been noted, as with most therapeutic agents, allergic reactions may occur in sensitive individuals or with prolonged occupational exposure. Other possible, but unconfirmed, reactions include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive blood flow during menstruation.
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