A protease from Moringa oleifera Lam exhibits plasmin like activity of blood clot solubilization under ex-vivo and in-vitro hydrolysis of fibrin

Abstract

Thrombosis is the formation of abnormal blood clots in the blood vessels that obstruct blood flow and lead to cause thrombosis. Current treatments for thrombosis are associated with serious side effects. Therefore there is a need for alternative natural therapy. To isolate and characterize fibrinolytic protease from M.oleifera and evaluation of its fibrinolytic efficiency. Fresh leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam were taken, fibrinolytic protease was isolated and characterized for its potential to solubilize fibrin under in-vitro conditions and its blood clot solubilization efficiency under ex-vivo experiments. The isolated protease showed a single protein band on native-PAGE. It showed optimum fibrinolytic activity at pH 8.0, 37 oC at 50µg concentration. Its fibrinolytic activity was also confirmed by fibrin zymography. Km and Vmax of isolated protease was determined by the Lineweaver Burk plot. The isolated protease could solubilize 96.41% of blood clot by 96 hrs under ex-vivo conditions. In-vitro fibrin hydrolysis and ex-vivo blood clot solubilization activities shown by isolated protease from leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam suggest its fibrinolytic potential to dissolve blood clots. Being a natural molecule and from a dietary plant it can be explored as an alternative natural therapy against thrombosis.