Anti-inflammatory activity of Bromelia hieronymi: comparison with bromelain.
Some plant proteases (e. g., papain, bromelain, ficin) have been used as anti-inflammatory agents for some years, and especially bromelain is still being used as alternative and/or complementary therapy to glucocorticoids, nonsteroidal antirheumatics, and immunomodulators. Bromelain is an extract rich in cysteine endopeptidases obtained from Ananas comosus. In this study the anti-inflammatory action of a partially purified extract of Bromelia hieronymi fruits, whose main components are cysteine endopeptidases, is presented. Different doses of a partially purified extract of B. hieronymi were assayed on carrageenan-induced and serotonine-induced rat paw edema, as well as in cotton pellet granuloma model. Doses with equal proteolytic activity of the partially purified extract and bromelain showed significantly similar anti-inflammatory responses. Treatment of the partially purified extract and bromelain with E-64 provoked loss of anti-inflammatory activity on carrageenan-induced paw edema, a fact which is consistent with the hypothesis that the proteolytic activity would be responsible for the anti-inflammatory action.
Laboratory of Plant Proteins, Faculty of Exact Sciences, National University of La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. meerrasti@biol.unlp.edu.ar
María E
ME
Errasti
Néstor O
NO
Caffini
Lilian E
LE
Pelzer
Alejandra E
AE
Rotelli
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001963:Bromelains / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031231:Bromelia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002351:Carrageenan / Q000633:toxicity; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002351:Carrageenan; D001963:Bromelains; D007930:Leucine; C024974:E 64