Stability, purification, and applications of bromelain: A review

Abstract

Bromelain is a cysteine protease found in pineapple tissue. Because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities, as well as its ability to induce apoptotic cell death, bromelain has proved useful in several therapeutic areas. The market for this protease is growing, and several studies exploring various properties of this molecule have been reported. This review aims to compile this data, and summarize the main findings on bromelain in the literature to date. The physicochemical properties and stability of bromelain under different conditions are discussed. Several studies on the purification of bromelain from crude extracts using a wide range of techniques such as liquid-liquid extractions by aqueous two-phase system, ultrafiltration, precipitation, and chromatography, have been reported. Finally, the various applications of bromelain are presented. This review therefore covers the main properties of bromelain, aiming to provide an up-to-date compilation of the data reported on this enzyme.

Bromelain: Methods of Extraction, Purification and Therapeutic Applications

“…SBM has reduced proteolytic activity and exhibit low specificity for peptide bonds then FBM. Researchers have reported several distinct pH and temperature optima for the activity of bromelain towards its substrates (De Lencastre et al 2016). The reported optimum pH range for SBM by various researchers is 6-7 and its optimum temperature range is 50-60 ºC (Harrachi et al 1998;Gautam et al 2010;Xue et al 2010).…”

Bromelain Separation and Purification Processes From Pineapple Extract

“…Chromatography involves separating the components of a mixture based on the rates at which they are carried through a stationary phase by a mobile phase, which may be liquid or gas (Novaes et al, 2016). Chromatographic techniques have been developed to separate bromelain from pineapple; including affinity membrane chromatography, capillary electrochromatography and ion exchange chromatography (Yin et al, 2011).…”

Natural actives for wound healing: A review

“…The term bromelain is used to describe a mixture of proteolytic enzymes and nonenzymatic substances found in Bromeliaceae species, mainly in pineapple ( Ananas comosus L.) and its stem, fruit, and leaves (Maurer, ; Rathnavelu et al, ; Spir et al, ). However, the complete molecular mechanism of action of bromelain has not been completely identified, bromelain gained universal acceptability as a phytotherapeutic agent, being widely administered for its well‐recognized properties, such as its antiinflammatory, antithrombotic and fibrinolytic affects, anticancer activity, and immunomodulatory effects, in addition to being a wound healing and circulatory improvement agent (Ataide, Cefali, et al, ; Rathnavelu et al, ; de Lencastre Novaes et al, ; Lourenço et al, ; Maurer, ; Spir et al, ; Taussig & Batkin, ). In Europe, bromelain is approved for oral and topical use, mainly for surgical wounds, inflammation due to trauma and surgery, and debridement of deep burns (Muhammad & Ahmad, ).…”