The New Nation - Internet Edition

Easir Abedin

Serratiopeptidase is derived from bacteria belonging to the genus Serratia. The controlled fermentation of Serratia sp. secretes this enzyme in the highly selective medium. The recovery process involves various types of filtration, concentration and steps to make enzyme useful for pharmaceutical applications and finally dried to fine free flowing powder form.

Serratiopeptidase is an endopeptidase, having molecular weight of about 60 K Dalton. It absorbs strongly at 275-280 nm. Serratiopeptidase is a stronger caseionolytic agent than any other known alkaline or neutral protease.

The medicinal use of Serratiopeptidase is very well known and very well documented. Recent Japanese patents even suggest that oral serrapeptase may help treat or prevent such viral diseases as AIDS and hepatitis B and C. But perhaps its most spectacular application is in reversing cardiovascular disease. In fact, serrapeptase appears so effective in unblocking carotid arteries that one researcher-Dr. Hans Nieper, the late, eminent internist from Hannover, Germany-called it a "miracle" enzyme.

Proteolytic enzymes (also known as proteinases or peptidases) are ubiquitous in nature, being found in animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi. Human beings produce such well known peptidases as trypsin and chymotrypsin to help digest our food, but we also generate countless others to control virtually every regulatory mechanism in our bodies. For example, various peptidases are involved in initiating blood clotting (thrombogenesis) and also in dissolving clots (fibrinolysis); in evoking an immune response and quelling it; and in both promoting and halting inflammation. The mechanism in each case is the ability of the enzyme to cut or cleave a protein target into two or more pieces, usually at very specific cleavage sites. The same mechanism makes it possible for peptidases to inactivate HIV, the AIDS-associated virus, by pruning the viral proteins necessary for infectivity.

The medical use of enzymes as anti-inflammatory agents goes back many years. The proteolytic enzymes in common use today derive from bacteria (serrapeptase grown from Serratia marcescens cultures), plants (bromelain from pineapple stem and papain from papaya), and animal sources (trypsin and chymotrypsin from hogs or cattle). They're all generally useful, but for many applications serrapeptase appears to be the most useful of them all. In one study serrapeptase was compared to trypsin, chymotrypsin, and pronase (another microbial peptidase) in a rat model of scalding, which is known to induce abnormal activation of fibrinolysis. Serrapeptase was far more effective than any other enzyme in repressing fibrinolysis in this model, in agreement with its documented clinical efficacy as an anti-inflammatory agent.

By the way, in case you've got a good memory for details, you might have noticed that a few paragraphs back I said the activation of fibrinolysis, not its repression, is one of the likely anti-inflammatory mechanisms of serrapeptase. The truth is that serrapeptase, like other peptidases, can have seemingly contradictory effects at different times under different circumstances. The essential point of the study just cited is that serrapeptase and the other peptidases inhibited abnormal activation of fibrinolysis, and that this was a sign of their anti-inflammatory activity.

Serrapeptase, like aspirin, is both anti-inflammatory and anticlotting; unlike aspirin, however, serrapeptase can melt through existing fibrous deposits. Serrapeptase also lacks the serious gastrointestinal side effects associated with chronic use of NSAIDs such as aspirin. This combination of properties makes serrapeptase just about the perfect remedy for warding off cardiovascular disease, better even than the proverbial aspirin a day. It's beginning to look more and more as though Dr. Nieper was right-serrapeptase is indeed a "miracle" enzyme.

For optimal results in unclogging arteries Nieper suggests combining serrapeptase with other nutritional factors, including bromelain, magnesium orotate, carnitine, and selenium; see the information packet obtainable from the Brewer Library for more details. To avoid possible pulmonary and ileal irritation, Nieper also recommends not exceeding a dose of about three tablets per day for long-term continuous use.

Because serrapeptase is a blood-thinning agent, it's wise to consult your physician if you're already taking any form of anticoagulant therapy (or, for that matter, if you suffer from any serious illness). Despite these cautions, however, serrapeptase has an excellent tolerability profile in general. The Japanese company that first developed serrapeptase, recommends up to six 5 mg tablets per day-two tablets three times a day, between meals-for short-term treatment of acute inflammation due to surgery, wound healing, sinusitis, cystitis, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, and breast engorgement in lactating women.

Mode of action: Serratiopeptidase is a proteolytic enzyme available for clinical use more than a decade. Serratiopeptidase binds to alpha -2-macroglobulin in the blood in the ratio of 1:1, which helps to mask its antigenicity but retains its enzymatic activity and is slowly, transferred to site of inflammation. Serratiopeptidase hydrolyses bradykinin, histamine and serotonin responsible for oedematic status. Serratiopeptidase reduces swelling improves microcirculation and expectoration of sputum etc. Thus it can be concluded that Serratiopeptidase has anti-inflammatory, anti-oedemic and fibrinolytic activity and acts rapidly on localized inflammation.

Serratiopeptidase when consumed in unprotected form is destroyed by acid ion the stomach. However, enteric coated of tablet enable the enzyme to pass through the stomach unchanged and absorb in the intestine.

Trauma Surgery: In sports injuries, fractures, dislocation and Osteoarthritis etc, Serratiopeptidase reduce inflammation and helps in faster healing and repair.

Surgery: Serratiopeptidase reduces post operative Edema at injection sites. Serratiopeptidase reduces internal tissue edema and inflammation caused at post-operative handling. Reduction in edema reduces chances of rupture at tissue as well as risk of in case of plastic surgery graft rejection.

Respiratory Medicine: Serratiopeptidase breaks down complex sputum molecules into smaller peptidase of lower viscosity, helping in expectorating them more easily. Reduced viscosity of secretion helps in better antibiotic penetration to enable control over stubborn infections like bronchitis, lung abscess.

ENT: Serratiopeptidase has Mucolytic activity in sinuses, ear cavities and anti -inflammatory activity in upper respiratory tract organs help in faster resolution, better antibiotic bioavailability and faster cure rates.

Dermatology: Serratiopeptidase is used in acute painful inflamed dermatitis.

Dentistry: Serratiopeptidase helps in better control over dental infections and inflammation.

Obstetrics & Gynecology: The anti-inflammatory activity of Serratiopeptidase helps in resolution of post-partum haematomas, breast engorgements and pregnancy related thrombophlebitis.

Male Genital Infection: Serratiopeptidase restores microcirculation and augments antibiotic penetration in these organs which are known to produce poor antibiotic availability.

(The writer is an Assistant Manager Quality Control at NOVO Healthcare and Pharma Ltd.)

Jamayet Ali

Mentha (Pudina) is a genus of strongly scented, perennial herbs, which comprises about 25 species. Of these only two are important. They are: Mentha arvensis and Mentha piperita. Common name of Mentha arvensis is Pudina. It is a fragrant herb with thick succulent lanceolate leaves rich in oil. It has square stems and horizontal slender rhizomes and planted kitchen gardens and occasionally cultivated for commercial purpose in some areas of Bangladesh. Mentha piperita is well known as Japanese mint or peppermint. It is widely cultivated in temperate regions of Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. It is occasionally cultivated as commercial and research purpose in our country. Peppermint thrives well in humid and temperate climates and is sensitive to drought. It grows well on light calcareous soils or deep rich loams in open sunny situations. It is planted in February or March, the plants flower in July of the second year, when the crop is harvested; a second flush may be taken in September after the rains.

Peppermint oil is one of the most popular and widely used essential oils. It is emoloyed for flavouring pharmaceuticals, dental preparations, mouth washes, cough drops, soaps, chewing gums, candies, confectionery and alcoholic liqueurs. It is valued in medicine both for internal and external uses; for internal use, it is preferrd to menthol because of its more pleasant taste. It is widely employed in flatulence, nausea, and gastralgia. It may be administered with sugar or in the form of tablets and lozenges. The oil has mild antiseptic and local anaesthetic properties. It is used as an external application in rheumatism, neuralgia, congestive, headache. (Wealth of India, Raw Materials, Vol. VI)

Medicine: Peppermint is the most agreeable and powerful of all the mints, possessing aromatic, carminative, stimulant, antispasmodic and stomachic properties. These qualities are especially possessed by the oil, which, as the most convenient and elegant preparation, is generally prescribed. It is needless to enter into a detailed account of the numerous applications of this well-known medicine. Suffice it to say that the oil, with its preparations, a water and a spirit, are officinal in the Indian Pharmacopoeia, and that the the herb and oil of this and other species of mint are largely employed as carminative and flavouring agents by the vegetarian natives of India. In European medicine it has lately been recommended for internal administration, as an antiseptic in cases of phthisis and diphtheria.

Menthol has lately acquired considerable reputation in European medicine as an antiseptic and antineuralgic, and has been used with success as an external application in sciatica, neuralgia, toothache and ringworm. In the Lancet for 1885, 11, 128, it is stated that it may be employed with advantage as a local anaesthetic to mucous membranes in a 20 to 30 percent, solution in alcohol or ether. The anodyne virtues of menthol have long been known to the Chinese and Japanese who employ the "Chinese oil of peppermint," which as already stated, is very rich in menthol, as a local remedy for neuralgia.

The dried plant is refrigerant, stomachic, diuretic and stimulant. It is used by the natives as a remedy for jaundice and is frequently given to stop vomiting. The scent of the fresh herb is said to relieve fainting. Ainslie states that mint is placed by the Arabians ans Persians amongst their malittifat (attenuentia). Fleming observes that it fully possesses the aromatic flavour, as well as the stomachic, antispasmodic and emmenagogue virtues common to most species of the genus.

Special Opinions: "Cooling and stomachic. Juice of fresh leaves also applied to relieve headache" (Assistant Surgeon S.C. Bhuttacharji, Chanda, Central Provinces). "Useful as a stimulant and carminative" (Assistant Surgeon Nehal Sing, Saharanpore). "A decoction of the leaves is used for stopping vomiting and nausea." (Surgeon A.C. Mukerji, Noakhally) "The cold infusion of the plant is a good carminative for infants" (Assistant Surgeon N.L. Ghose, Bankipore) (Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, Watt, Vol. V)

Medicinal Properties: Mentha Arvensis The plant has a bad taste and smell; expectorant, emmenagogue, tonic to the kidney; useful in diseases of the liver and spleen, asthma, pains in the joints (Yunani).

The dried plant is refrigerant, stomachic, diuretic and stimulant. It possesses antispasmodic and emmenagogue properties. It is used in jaundice and is frequently given to stop vomiting. In China, the leaves and stems are made into infusion, and used as carminative, sudorific and antispasmodic.

In Annam, the plant is considered an excellent diaphoretic. An infusion given in fevers, indigestion and cephalagia. The juice of the leaves is applied to the sting or bite of poisonous animals. The leaves pounded with salt are applied to the whitlow.

Mentha piperita

A volatile oil obtained from the plant is well known in medicine for its antiseptic, stimulant and carminative properties. In Europe, the herve is considered stimulant, stomachic, carminative; and is used for allaying nausea, flatulence, sickness, vomiting. Its bruised fresh leaves, if applied, will relieve local pains and headache. A hot infusion taken as tea, shooths stomach-ache, allays sickness and stays colicky diarrhea. This will also subdue menstrual colic ( Indian Medicinal Plants, K.R Kirtikar & B.D. Basu, 1980-83)

Properties and Uses: Aerial parts of the plant are refrigerant, stomachic, carminative, stimulant and diuretic. They possess antispasmodic and emmenagogue properties, and are also given to stop vomiting and to treat jaundice. The oil is a valuable anti-neuralgic due to presence of menthol and is helpful in relieving the symptoms of bronchitis and sinusitis

(Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh, Abdul Ghani, Second Edition, 295)