Bromelain is the name of an enzyme that is derived from the stem of the pineapple plant. Alternative health practitioners recommend bromelain to treat several health conditions, including inflammation. While early research is promising, the results in human trials of bromelain are still inconclusive. As with any health supplement, ask your doctor before taking bromelain as an alternative medicine.
Inflammation
People take bromelain to treat many types of inflammation, including inflammation of the sinuses, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and swelling and inflammation following sports injuries. Although the German government has approved bromelain as a treatment for swelling of the sinsus, research investigating the role of bromelain in reducing inflammation has found mixed results, explains the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Research
Many studies in animals have found that bromelain effectively reduces inflammation, including a study published in the March 2008 issue of the journal "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine." Additionally, laboratory studies on colon biopsies from people with inflammatory bowel disease found that bromelain could reduce markers of inflammation in isolated cells in laboratory dishes, reports an article published in the March 2008 issue of the journal "Clinical Immunology." However, when tested in actual human beings, bromelain does not always reliably reduce inflammation, according to MedlinePlus.
Mechanism
The potential anti-inflammatory effect of bromelain may result from its ability to decrease the activity of chemical messages in the body that activate the inflammation response. These chemical messengers, known as cytokines, are down-regulated by bromelain, explains the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. By reducing the activity of these pro-inflammatory cytokines, bromelain should theoretically reduce inflammation.
Side Effects
Bromelain is generally very safe and well-tolerated. Typically, only mild side effects result from taking bromelain, including upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. In women, bromelain may increase menstrual bleeding. Bromelain may have a blood-thinning effect, meaning it may increase the risk of excess bleeding when taken at the same time as other blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, warfarin or ibuprofen.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Bromelain
- MedlinePlus: Bromelain; November 2010
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Bromelain; November 2010
- "Clinical Immunology"; Bromelain Treatment Decreases Secretion of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Chemokines by Colon Biopsies in Vitro; J.E. Onken et al.; March 2008
- "Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine"; Oral Bromelain Attenuates Inflammation in an Ovalbumin-induced Murine Model of Asthma; E.R. Secor et al.; March 2008
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