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Archive for the ‘Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes’ Category
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
 Boswellia is a natural inflammation-fighting gum resin extract derived from the Boswellia serrata tree, common to India. It is also known as “Indian Frankincense.” For centuries, the tree’s fragrant, gummy sap, called “oleoresin”, has been tapped for its medicinal properties. It has proven especially valuable for arthritis and back pain sufferers.
The harvested oleoresin contains a mixture of naturally occurring organic acids. These acids inhibit pain and inflammation causing enzymes. They also limit the synthesis of fatty immune system molecules called leukotrienes which contribute to inflammation.
Effective arthritis pain relief
One six-month study compared the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Boswellia extract with the prescription drug valdecoxib (no longer available in the U.S. market due to health risks). The patients enrolled in the study suffered from osteoarthritis of the knee and received either 10mg of valdecoxib taken once daily or 333mg of Boswellia extract (containing 40% boswellic acids) taken three times daily.
The study found patients who took valdecoxib presented statistically significant improvement after one month, but the relief quickly subsided when the drug was stopped. The Boswellia test subjects did not show statistically significant improvement until the second month. However, the on-going relief of Boswellia extract clearly bested the drug by its longer lasting effects. When the valdecoxib was stopped, the pain returned within a day or two. But those who had been taking boswellia reported continued effects a full month after the test had ended.
The researchers reported in their conclusion that “in terms of safety, efficacy and duration of action, the present study shows that [Boswellia serrata extract] was superior to valdecoxib, except for the slower onset of action.”
Hundreds of other studies on boswellia extract have proven it both safe and effective at treating not only osteoarthritis, but also rheumatoid arthritis.
Safer than NSAIDs
Inflammation is a killer, but so are many of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used to treat it. Boswellia extract fights inflammation as well as most NSAIDs, but without the stomach irritation or ulceration. In fact, at least one study found boswellia more effective at treating ulcerative colitis than the commonly prescribed sulfasalazine. Boswellia also doesn’t carry the severe risk of heart attack and stroke found with some of the newer NSAIDs.
Even though it has been safely used for centuries, a comprehensive safety study was conducted on boswellia just a few years ago. The study found no significant adverse effects other than minor eye irritation. Other studies noted only rare but minor side effects, such as nausea, skin rash or diarrhea.
Of course it’s always a good idea to speak with your health care provider or pharmacist before taking herbs or dietary supplements, particularly if you are taking any prescriptions.
Related references
Ammon HP. Boswellic acids (components of frankincense) as the active principle in treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases [article in German]. Wien Med Wochenschr 2002;152(15-16):373-378.Safayhi H, Sailer ER, Amnon HPT. 5-lipoxygenase inhibition by acetyl-11-keto-b-boswellic acid. Phytomed 1996;3:71-2.
Safayhi H, Mack T, Saieraj J, et al. Boswellic acids: Novel, specific, nonredox inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1992;261:1143-6.
Singh GB, Atal CK. Pharmacology of an extract of salai guggal ex-Boswellia serrata, a new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent. Agents Actions 1986;18:407-12.
Etzel R. Special extract of Boswellia serrata (H15) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Phytomed 1996;3:91-4.
Gupta I, Parihar A, Malhotra P, et al. Effects of Boswellia serrata gum resin in patients with ulcerative colitis. Eur J Med Res 1997;2:37-43.
Kimmatkar N, Thawani V, Hingorani L, Khiyani R. Efficacy and tolerability of Boswellia serrata extract in treatment of Osteoarthritis of knee- a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2003;10:3-7.
Sontakke S, Thawani V, Pimpalkhute S, Kabra P, Babhulkar S, Hingorani L. Open, randomized, controlled clinical trial of Boswellia serrata extract as compared to valdecoxib in osteoarthritis of knee. Indian J Pharmacol 2007;39:27-29.
Ammon HPT, Safayhi H, Mack T, Sabieraj J 1993 Mechanism of anti-inflammatory actions of curcumin and boswellic acids. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 1993 Mar;38(2-3):113-9.
Singh GB, Bani S, Singh S. Toxicity and safety evaluation of boswellic acids. Phytomed 1996;3(1):87-90.
Singh S, et al. The gastric ulcer protective effect of boswellic acids, a leukotriene inhibitor from Boswellia serrata, in rats. Phytomedicine. 2008 Jun;15(6-7):408-15.
Valdecoxib (Oral Route). MayoClinic.com. Retrieved 19 Jun 2010.
Tramèr MR, et al. Quantitative estimation of rare adverse events which follow a biological progression: a new model applied to chronic NSAID use. Pain. 2000 Mar;85(1-2):169-82.
Posted in Anti-Inflammatory, Fibromyalgia, Heal-n-Soothe, Nutrition, Pain Relief, Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
 In 1995, actress Karen Duffy – better known as MTV’s VJ “Duff” – returned home to New York after the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in excruciating pain.
She later described the initial pain in her head like “a burning, sharp pain that felt like I was being electrocuted.” As bad as the pain felt, it soon grew even worse.
Before long, Karen’s monster headache had transformed into a full-body experience. Most of her body was wracked with pain so severe she would curl into a fetal position and try not to cry – even her tears felt like sulfuric acid sliding down her cheeks. The only parts of her body that didn’t hurt were areas mainly on her left side
left numb and paralyzed from whatever disease she had become afflicted with.
Six months of endless MRIs, spinal taps, and other tests later, her doctors through a process of elimination finally diagnosed her condition: a systemic inflammatory disease called sarcoidosis. In Karen’s case, the disease attacked her central nervous system, leaving her partially paralyzed to this day.
While sarcoidosis may affect virtually any area of the body, it most commonly attacks the lungs and lymph nodes where small nodules of immune cells called granulomas are formed. Sometimes these nodules disappear on their own. Other times they leave behind areas of fibrosis, or internal scar tissue.
In the lungs this scarring can permanently impair breathing through pulmonary fibrosis. Actor Bernie Mac, known for his comedic roles in
numerous television shows and movies, was another high profile individual known to have suffered from sarcoidosis. After being hospitalized in 2008 with pneumonia, his publicist announced his sarcoidosis had been in remission for three years and Bernie was expected to make a full recovery. Sadly, Bernie passed away several days later.
Christmas night 2004, yet another legend passed away. Hall of fame defensive end Reggie White, better known to fans as “The Minister of
Defense,” died in his sleep of a cardiac arrhythmia. Sarcoidosis affecting his heart and lungs was ruled the primary cause of death.
While sarcoidosis is a fairly rare autoimmune disorder, inflammation and fibrosis affects every one of us. Half of all heart attacks are caused by inflammation. Considering the widespread problem, no wonder heart disease remains the number one killer in the United States. But that’s not all. Inflammation is also strongly linked to strokes, arthritis, chronic fatigue, and even Alzheimer’s and
other dementing diseases.
Fortunately, the mechanisms behind controlling systemic inflammation are fairly well understood. It boils down to the level of proteolytic
enzymes which counter the body’s inflammatory response to injury, sickness, or tissue irritation.
When we’re young, our bodies heal quickly. Around our mid-20s, a precipitous drop in bodily production of proteolytic enzymes lead to
extended recovery periods from injuries. The older we get, the longer it takes to heal.
Proteolytic enzymes do more than fight inflammation. They also clean your blood, help fight off viral and bacterial infections, and break down excess scar-creating fibrin. Taking supplemental systemic enzymes not only helps your body keep inflammation in check, it keeps you
healthier by boosting cardiovascular, respiratory and immune system functions throughout your body.
The inflammation fighting and scar erasing properties of proteolytic enzymes haven’t been clinically studied yet (to my knowledge) for the specific treatment of sarcoidosis, but anecdotal evidence from members of sarcoidosis support groups who have tried them indicates it has helped alleviate even symptoms of this harsh disease.
It’s certainly worth further study for sarcoidosis patients – and worth taking to maintain good health in everyone else over age 25. A
30-day supply of systemic enzymes and other natural anti-inflammatory ingredients is currently being offered free at The Healthy Back Institute’s website for those who would like to try them.
Related references
Carney, K. Former MTV VJ tells of battle with chronic illness. CNN Headline News. 2003, Sep 19.
Duffy, K. Model Patient: My Life As an Incurable Wise-Ass. Harper Paperbacks. 2001.
Mignot, S. Actor And Comedian Bernie Mac Dies At Age 50. CBS 2 Chicago. 2008, Aug 9.
Sun-Times Media Wire. Bernie Mac Expected To Recover, Publicist Says. Chicago Sun-Times. 2008, Aug 3.
FastStats – Heart Disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2010, Apr 15.
Mecklenburg County Office of the Medical Examiner. Report of Autopsy Examination for Reginald Howard White. 2005, Apr 25.
Posted in Anti-Inflammatory, Back Pain, Fibromyalgia, Heal-n-Soothe, Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes, Supplements, Uncategorized, pain and Inflammation | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
 If you’re looking for pain relief you might find it at your local grocery store. Not in the pharmacy or over-the-counter medicine aisle, but discreetly tucked into the produce section.
The people of Guadeloupe introduced Christopher Columbus to this tasty tropical healer in 1493, but native South and Central American tribes had discovered its amazing attributes long before he sailed in. Today we call it the pineapple.
What makes the pineapple special are enzymes found throughout the plant called bromelain. Bromelain is a protease, or proteolytic enzyme, which means it breaks down protein. That’s why you’ll find it commonly used as a meat tenderizer.
You may be thinking tenderizing your already sore muscles is the last thing you want. But there’s another type of protein bromelain eats up too. It’s a protein called Circulating Immune Complex (CIC). Let me explain.
Our cells talk to each other through receptors. When we’re injured they tell our immune system to produce CIC proteins. The CICs are rushed to the scene of injury or irritation. Pain signals are generated to alert your body to trouble while inflammatory substances are called to build a protective wall around the injured area. These continue until our body sends proteolytic enzymes to counteract the CIC-induced inflammation.
The problem is our body may not produce enough proteolytic enzymes to tell the CICs to stop producing pain and inflammation when they should. That’s because by our mid-20s production of proteolytic enzymes drops off dramatically leaving us vulnerable to runaway inflammation. Left unchecked, inflammation increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, arthritis and dementia related disorders like Alzheimer’s. It causes hidden damage to tissues and organs throughout your body. And it just plain makes it harder for our bodies to heal and stop hurting.
Fortunately there’s a simple answer. Since the cause of runaway inflammation is a lack of proteolytic enzymes, the natural response is to get more of those into our system. That’s why pineapple with its natural proteolytic enzymes in the form of bromelain is such a great find. Eating pineapple increases the supply of proteolytic enzymes present in your body. You do have to eat the pineapple raw though. Cooking or heating destroys the enzymes’ effectiveness. This means canned pineapple won’t work either.
The highest concentration of bromelain is found in the stem of the plant. I’ll admit you would have to really love pigging out on tough raw pineapple stems every day to get the most benefit. Or you can just take a proteolytic enzyme supplement with bromelain harvested from pineapple by peeling and crushing the stem then purified and dried into a powder form to be taken orally without getting the sore mouth.
By the way, pineapple isn’t the only source of proteolytic enzymes. You can also find them in papaya (papain), figs (ficin) and kiwi fruit (actinidin). Good supplements will usually combine various forms of the enzymes for maximum effect. Restoring your body’s proteolytic enzyme levels will go a long ways towards reducing inflammation and ending chronic pain.
Related references:
Murachi, T and Neurtil, H.; Dept. of Biochemistry, University of Washington; Fractionation and Specificity on Stem Bromelain
Blumenthal, M., Goldberg, A., Brinkman, J.; ed. Herbal Medicine, Expanded Commission E monographs; Boston, Mass: Integrative Medicine Communications; 2000:33-35
Kapes, B.; Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine; Bromelain, April 6, 2001
Vukovic, L.; Better Nutrition: Pineapple Power; July 2007
Posted in Anti-Inflammatory, Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes, Supplements, Uncategorized, pain and Inflammation | 7 Comments »
Sunday, January 31st, 2010
 Short-tem, or acute, inflammation is one of your body’s most powerful defense mechanisms. Swelling from increased fluids protects injured areas from further harm while the body goes into overdrive to fend off bacteria, viruses, and even parasites. It not only kills off the invaders, but damaged tissue as well, until your body eventually wins the battle.
Once inflammation has served its purpose to eliminate the external nasties the healing process can begin. Sometimes though, the body fails to end the inflammatory cycle and systemic chronic inflammation results.
While acute inflammation can save your life, chronic inflammation may help end it. When chronic inflammation becomes systemic the body actually turns on itself. It leads to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, magnifies the harmful effects of Alzheimer’s, and even promotes an internal environment favorable for cancer.
While many drugs will decrease inflammation in the body, they are not safe to consume for extended periods of time. These drugs themselves have been linked to heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots. They can also damage your kidneys and other vital organs, lead to internal bleeding, and even death.
What is needed is a safer approach to reducing both localized and systemic inflammation in the body. Fortunately there are several options. And they can be used interchangeably. The four most recommended natural methods for reducing inflammation are:
1. Ice & Heat Therapy — Ice and heat can relieve both pain and inflammation
2. Dietary Changes — Many foods increase your body’s inflammatory response (such as dairy, wheat, gluten, sugar, fried foods), while some other foods reduce inflammation
3. Natural Medicines — Herbs and other homeopathic remedies can be as effective at eliminating inflammation as drugs without the harmful side effects; systemic proteolytic enzymes are also important in treating chronic inflammation as they break down harmful fibrin (scar tissue) caused by the excess inflammation
4. Mind/Body Techniques — Stress related tension is directly or indirectly contributes to a significant number of disease states including inflammation; end the stress and help break the inflammatory cycle
This short video on fighting inflammation introduces these options.
Posted in Anti-Inflammatory, Heal-n-Soothe, Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes, Stress, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
 Cortisone shots are given as symptomatic treatment for a wide variety of repetitive stress injuries, arthritis, and other ailments. Commonly the injection consists of a mixture of a corticosteroid anti-inflammatory and a local anesthetic to minimize pain from the injected medicine.
Most cortisone injections are conducted in a doctor office and may take as little as a 10 minute visit. The site of injection is cleaned and may be sprayed with a local anesthetic. Then the needle is inserted directly into the painfully inflamed joint for medicine delivery.
After receiving the shot, one might be advised to minimize use of the joint for 24-48 hours. For example, in the case of a shoulder injection immediate heavy lifting should be avoided. Sometimes a cortisone flare occurs when the cortisone crystallizes which can cause intense pain for up to 48 hours even worse than before the shot.
While rare, severe side effects such as joint infection, nerve damage, and weakening of nearby tendons and bones are possible. More shots increase the risk of severe side effects so many doctors limit the number of injections to three or less. Since cortisone shots offer pain relief for only several weeks and work for only about half of those receiving a shot, they should be considered a treatment aid at best, not a cure.
One approach to avoid using cortisone injections is to systemically minimize inflammation in the body and focus on treating underlying causes of pain and inflammation. That’s one reason cortisone shots don’t work for everyone — sometimes they are attempting to treat the wrong kind of pain.
There are two types of pain, muscular or tissue based pain and nerve based pain. Treating the wrong type of pain may result in no impact on levels of pain. That’s why a proper diagnosis of the underlying conditions leading to inflammation is critical for long-term pain relief.
Pros for cortisone injections:
- Can reduce inflammation in localized areas
- May relieve pain related to inflammation
- May be helpful as part of a broader treatment program
Cons for cortisone injections:
- Provides pain relief for only about half of shot recipients
- May cause more pain in short term
- Can cause severe permanent side effects
Posted in Anti-Inflammatory, Arthritis, Proteolytic Systemic Enzymes, Uncategorized, pain and Inflammation | 6 Comments »
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