Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the inner tissue of large intestine and rectum. As its name suggests, ulcerative colitis is characterized by the formation of ulcers that bleed and produce mucus causing a number of side-effects including diarrhea, bloody stools, rectal bleeding and weight loss. There is no cure for this condition, but anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants help to keep symptoms at bay. Bromelain and papaya might have anti-inflammatory effects and may help to alleviate symptoms, although scientific evidence to prove this is limited. Talk to your physician before adding bromelain or papaya to your treatment plan.
Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme found in the stem of pineapple fruit. Bromelain has a wide range of therapeutic applications and is sometimes used to treat cancer, burns and circulatory disorders. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects, it is also sometimes used to treat conditions characterized by inflammation such as arthritis and colitis. The results of animal-based study published in the August 2005 issue of "Clinical Immunology" found that bromelain decrease the severity of colonic inflammation in mice with ulcerative colitis. Clinical studies are needed to confirm the effects in people with ulcerative colitis.
Papaya
Papaya is a tropical fruit that is consumed as a food and is also used as a medicinal remedy for a number of ailments including burns, diabetes and high cholesterol. Like bromelain, papaya has anti-inflammatory effects and has been used to intestinal inflammation. However, studies evaluating papaya's effects on ulcerative colitis, specifically, are lacking, so it is difficult to say whether taking papaya might help to alleviate symptoms.
How to Use
Papaya is commonly consumed whole as fruit, or you may prefer to drink papaya juice. Its active ingredients, the enzymes papain and chymopapain, are also available in capsules or tablets from health food stores. You can obtain bromelain by eating pineapple or drinking pineapple juice. However, it is more commonly taken in capsules and tablets. Guidance regarding a suitable dose of papaya and bromelain for the treatment of ulcerative colitis is lacking, although your physician might be able to advise you.
Safety Considerations
Bromelain and papaya may cause a hypersensitivity reaction in some people. Drugs.com warns that papaya extract may irritate the gastric mucosa and might also cause nausea. That said, it is, nevertheless, included on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "generally recognized as safe" list. Avoid using bromelain if you have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking anticoagulants as it may increase the risk of bleeding. Get medical clearance before using bromelain or papaya to alleviate ulcerative colitis symptoms.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ulcerative Colitis
- Mississippi Baptist Health Systems: Bromelain
- "Clinical Immunology"; Treatment with Oral Bromelain Decreases Colonic Inflammation in the IL-10-Deficient Murine Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease; L.P. Hale, et al.; August 2005
- Drugs.com: Papaya
