The Healing Power of Pineapple

The Benefits of Bromelain in Pineapple

Pain, Inflammation, Swelling and Healing

Perhaps the most significant property of Bromelain is it's ability to reduce inflammation, pain, swelling and speed healing from injuries, trauma and surgery^{(2,3,7,8,9,11,13,14,15,16,19,22,24,25,26,28,34,36)}.

Some examples of it's effectiveness include the following.

• In studies of Bromelain's anti-inflammatory power it has been found as or more effective and much better tolerated by patients than the following drugs; Naproxen (Aleve), Piroxicam (Feldene), Ketoprofen (Oruvail), Indomethacin (Indocin), Etodolac (Lodine), Diclofenac (Voltaren)^(34,36).
• In a 1995 German study⁽¹⁴⁾ of people with strains and torn ligaments researchers found that bromelain caused a significant reduction in swelling, tenderness, and pain, both at rest and during movement.
• Supplementation of bromelain reduced the average number of days after surgery for complete disappearance of pain from 3.5 to 1.5, and disappearance of inflammation from 6.9 to 2.0 days, as compared with controls receiving no bromelain⁽²⁴⁾.
• A clinical study of boxers with bruises on the face and hematomas of the orbits, lips, ears, chest and arms reported complete disappearance for 80.6% of those taking Bromelain in 4 days vs. only 13.8% of those in the placebo group⁽²⁰⁾.

These properties make Bromelain helpful for typical injuries that occur during summer sports activities or home improvement projects. Especially when combined with a herbal pain reliever such as Devils Claw Extract and Glucosamine which aids both in healing tissue as well as joint repair.

How to Eliminate Joint, Muscle and Back Pain Even When Other Treatments Fail Click to Read More

Osteoarthritis & Rheumatoid Arthritis

For those who suffer from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis bromelain can be helpful improving pain, inflammation and mediating the autoimmune response^{(3, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)}.

Here are some findings from relevant studies. 

• Significant clinical improvement in patients with knee osteoarthritis was demonstrated by using bromelain in both the primary outcome (symptoms assessed by the Western Ontario McMaster University Arthritis Index, WOMAC) and in the secondary outcomes (overall psychological wellbeing)⁽³⁵⁾.

• 29 subjects whom suffered from arthritis (25 subjects had rheumatoid arthritis, 2 had osteoarthritis, 1 had both and the last had gout) and had residual swelling in a joint after long-term steroid therapy. After starting the bromelain therapy soft tissue swelling subsided mostly, or completely, in 72.4 % of the subjects.⁽³⁾

• If you take glucosamine for your arthritis bromelain can enhance the glucosamine absorption by up to 90%⁽³⁰⁾. It also increases the absorption of sulfur (important for joint health) by up to 50%⁽³⁰⁾.

Cardiovascular Health

Bromelain can prevent or minimize the severity of angina pectoris and transcient ischemic attacks and is useful in the prevention and treatment of thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. It appears that this is the results of it's ability to break down cholesterol plaques, exert a potent fibrinolytic activity and it's anti-inflammatory effect.^{(37,38,39,40,41,42)}

Below are the results of some cardiovascular studies on bromelains' effect.

• Administration of bromelain to patients with angina pectoris resulted in the disappearance of symptoms in all patients within 4 to 90 days.⁽³⁸⁾ Similar results have been observed in patients taking bromelain. After discontinuing bromelain, angina attacks reappear after a variable period of time, often triggered by stressful experiences.⁽³⁷⁾
• A drastic reduction in the incidence of coronary infarct after administration of potassium and magnesium orotate along with 120-400 mg of bromelain per day has also been reported.⁽³⁹⁾
• In a study involving 73 patients with acute thrombophlebitis, bromelain, in addition to analgesics, was shown to decrease all symptoms of inflammation; including, pain, edema, tenderness, skin temperature, and disability.⁽⁴⁰⁾

Sinusitis and Bronchitis

Bromelain has been shown helpful for upper respiratory tract infections such as Sinusitis and Bronchitis. Bromelain helps to reducing nasal inflammation and break up the mucus in the nasal, sinus and respiratory areas.^{(18, 21, 26, 27, 30)}

• In the patients not receiving antibiotic treatment, 85% of patients receiving bromelain had complete resolution of inflammation of the nasal mucosa and complete resolution of breathing difficulties. Only 40% of the placebo group had a similar outcome with respect to inflammation, while 53% reported resolution of breathing difficulty.⁽¹⁸⁾

Other Benefits of Bromelain

Other beneficial properties of Bromelain include its use as a digestive aid and indications that it may be helpful healing ulcers^{(1, 6, 12)}.

OK... So How Many Pineapples Do I Need to Eat?

The typical dose recommended for Bromelain by the German Commission E (The German regulatory agency for herbal treatments) is 80mg - 320mg two to three time a day.

This would translate into about 1 to 8 raw pineapples per day. Bromelain is destroyed by cooking heat so you must eat your pineapple uncooked.

Bromelains' effect is dose dependent. For most of the above conditions above  best results tend to be with a dosage of 460mg to 1,000mg per day.

So maybe we should say "a pineapple a day keeps the doctor away".

Because of the natural anti-inflammatory and healing power of Bromelain plus it's ability to enhance other natural ingredients such as Glucosamine and MSM it is an essential ingredient in any natural anti-inflammatory pain reliever. Especially those for which are intended to aid arthritis, joint pain or pain caused by strains or trauma injuries. 

Bromelain is just one of the effective natural ingredients in our synergistic pain and healing formula Zymosine.

Relevant Research and Studies

1. Balakrishnan V, Hareendran A, Nair CS. Double-blind cross-over trial of an enzyme preparation in pancreatic steatorrhoea. J Assoc Phys India 1981; 29(3):207-209.
2. Cirelli MG. Five years of clinical experience with bromelains in therapy of edema and inflammation in postoperative tissue reaction, skin infections and trauma. Clin Med 1967;74(6):55-59.
3. Cohen A, Goldman J. Bromelains therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Penn Med J 1964;67:27-30.
4. Cowie DH, Fairweather DV, Newell DJ. A double-blind trial of bromelains as an adjunct to vaginal plastic repair operations. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw 1970;77(4):365-368.
5. Gerard G. [Anticancer treatment and bromelains]. Agressologie 1972;13(4):261-274.
6. Glade MJ, Kendra D, Kaminski MV. Improvement in protein utilization in nursing-home patients on tube feeding supplemented with an enzyme product derived from Aspergillus niger and Bromelain. Nutrition 2001;17(4):348-350.
7. Gylling U, Rintala A, Taipale S, et al. The effect of a proteolytic enzyme combinate (bromelain) on the postoperative oedema by oral application. A clinical and experimental study. Acta Chir Scand 1966;131(3):193-196.
8. Hotz G, Frank T, Zoller J, et al. [Antiphlogistic effect of bromelaine following third molar removal]. Dtsch Zahnarztl Z 1989;44(11):830-832.
9. Howat RC, Lewis GD. The effect of bromelain therapy on episiotomy wounds--a double blind controlled clinical trial. J Obstet Gynaecol Br Commonw 1972;79(10):951-953.
10. Hunter RG, Henry GW, Civin WH. The action of papain and bromelain on the uterus. Part III. The physiologically incompetent internal cervical os. Am J Obst Gynec 1957;73(4):875-880.
11. Korlof B, Ponten B, Ugland O. Bromelain--a proteolytic enzyme. Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg 1969;3(1):27-29.
12. Kugener H, Bergmann D, Beck K. [Efficacy of bromelain in pancreatogenic digestive insufficiency]. Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie 1968;6:430-433.
13. Mader H. [Comparative studies on the effect of bromelin and oxyphenbutazone in episiotomy pains]. Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax 1973;62(35):1064-1068.
14. Masson M. [Bromelain in blunt injuries of the locomotor system. A study of observed applications in general practice]. Fortschr Med 1995;113(19):303-306.
15. Miller JM, Ginsberg M, McElfatrick GC, et al. The administration of bromelain orally in the treatment of inflammation and edema. Exper Med Surg 1964;22:293-299.
16. Morrison AW, Morrison MC. Bromelain - a clinical assessment in the post-operative treatment of arthrotomies of the knee and facial injuries. Brit J Clin Pract 1965;19(4):207-210.
17. Mudrak J, Bobak L, Sebova I. Adjuvant therapy with hydrolytic enzymes in recurrent laryngeal papillomatosis. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl 1997; 527:128-130.
18. Ryan RE. A double-blind clinical evaluation of bromelains in the treatment of acute sinusitis. Headache 1967;7(1):13-17.
19. Seligman B. Bromelain: an anti-inflammatory agent. Angiology 1962;13:508-510.
20. Seligman B. Oral bromelains as adjuncts in the treatment of acute thrombophlebitis. Angiology 1969;20(1):22-26.
21. Seltzer AP. Adjunctive use of bromelains in sinusitis: a controlled study. Eye Ear Nose Throat Mon 1967;46(10):1281, 1284, 1286-1288.
22. Spaeth GL. The effect of bromelains on the inflammatory response caused by cataract extraction: a double-blind study. Eye Ear Nose Throat Mon 1968;47(12):634-639.
23. Stange R, Schneider R, Maurer R et al. Proteolytic enzyme bromelaine enhances zytotoxicity in patients with breast cancer [abstract]. Nat Scien Conf Compl Altern Integ Med Res, Boston, MA, April 12-14, 2002.
24. Tassman GC, Zafran JN, Zayon GM. A double-blind crossover study of a plant proteolytic enzyme in oral surgery. J Dent Med 1965;20(2):51-54.
25. Tassman GC, Zafran JN, Zayon GM. Evaluation of a plant proteolytic enzyme for the control of inflammation and pain. J Dental Med 1964;19(2):73-77.
26. Taub SJ. The use of bromelains in sinusitis: a double-blind clinical evaluation. Eye Ear Nose Throat Mon 1967;46(3):361.
27. Weiss S, Scherrer M. [Crossed double-blind trial of potassium iodide and bromelain (Traumanase) in chronic bronchitis]. Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax 1972;61(43):1331-1333.
28. Zatuchni GI, Colombi DJ. Bromelains therapy for the prevention of episiotomy pain. Obstet Gynecol 1967; 29(2):275-278.
29. Blonstein JL. Control of swelling in boxing injuries. Practitioner 1960;185:78.
30. Neubauer RA. A plant protease for potentiation of and possible replacement of antibiotics. Exp Med Surg 1961;19:143-160
31. Rovenska E, Svik K, Stancikova M, Rovensky J. Inhibitory effect of enzyme therapy and combination therapy with cyclosporin A on collagen-induced arthritis. Research Institute of Rheumatic Diseases, Nabrezie I. Krasku 4, 921 01 Piest'any, Slovak Republic. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2001 May-Jun;19(3):303-9.
32. Bazzichi L, Soletti AL, Ciompi ML, Garzelli C. Activation of murine autoreactive b cells by interleukin 1-like factors released from synovial inflammatory cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Institute of Medical Pathology, University of Pisa. Autoimmunity. 1991;8(3):187-92.
33. Abedi-Valugerdi M, Ridderstad A, Lettesjo H, Strom H, Moller E. Protein-G binding material from synovial fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients induces unorthodox autoantibodies (IgG1 rheumatoid factor) in NZB, NZW and (NZB x NZW)F1 mice.
    Department of Immunology, Arrhenius Laboratories for Natural Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden. Eur J Immunol. 1994 Mar;24(3):684-91
34. Klein G, Kullich W. Reducing pain by oral enzyme therapy in rheumatic diseases. Wien Med Wochenschr. 1999;149(21-22):577-80.
35. Walker AF, Bundy R, Hicks SM, Middleton RW. Bromelain reduces mild acute knee pain and improves well being in a dose dependant fashion in an open study of otherwise healthy adults. Phytomedicine 2002;9:681–686.
36. Inoue K, Motonaga A, Nishimura T, Yokota M, Miki N, Fujisawa H, Ueda F, Shibata Y, Kimura K. Mechanism of anti-inflammatory action of etodolac. Arzneimittelforschung. 1991 Mar;41(3):235-9.
37. Taussig SJ, Nieper HA. Bromelain: its use in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, present status. J IAPM 1979;6:139-151.
38.  Nieper HA. Effect of bromelain on coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Acta Med Empirica 1978;5:274-278.
39. Nieper HA. Decrease of the incidence of coronary heart infarct by Mg- and K-orotate and bromelain. Acta Med Empirica 1977;12:614-618.
40. Seligman B. Bromelain-an anti-inflammatory agent thrombophlebitis. No toxicity. Angiology 1962;13:508-510.
41. Seligman B. Oral bromelains as adjuncts in the treatment of acute thrombophlebitis. Angiology 1969;20:22-26.
42. Gutfreund A, Taussig S, Morris A. Effect of oral bromelain on blood pressure and heart rate of hypertensive patients. Haw Med Jour 1978;37:143-146.