Serrapeptase:
Silkworm Enzyme
Serrapeptase is an
enzyme originally derived from the silkworm that digests non-living tissue,
including blood clots, cysts, scar tissue, arterial
plaque and reduces inflammation.
Serrapeptase
offers a viable alternative to salicylates (such as
aspirin), ibuprofen, and NSAIDS as well as steroids—a boon for those suffering
with rheumatoid arthritis and a wide array of other autoimmune diseases that
affect the inflammatory response, including ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, uveitis, allergies.
While anti-inflammatory drugs may
offer temporary, symptomatic relief from pain, swelling and inflammation, they
may also be immunosuppressive and known to hold dangerous side effects. Serrapeptase, on the other hand, eases pain and swelling
with no inhibitory effects on prostaglandins and no gastrointestinal side
effects. The immunologically active enzyme is completely bound to the alpha 2
macroglobulin in biological fluids.
The physiologic agent is isolated
from the microorganism Serratia E15, an enzyme
naturally present in the silkworm intestine which allows the emerging moth to
dissolve its cocoon. Clinical use of serrapeptase as
an antiinflammatory in
Studying postoperative swelling and pain reduction of the
upper ankle joint, a test was carried out in 3 randomized groups of 66 patients,
each with fresh rupture of the lateral ligament treated surgically between
December 1986 and April 1987. The group receiving Serrapeptase saw a 50% decrease in swelling on the third
postoperative day. Decreased pain, for the most part, correlated with reduction
in swelling. The Serrapeptase group became rapidly
pain-free. The two control groups, using traditional elevation of the leg, bed
rest, with and without applications of ice, had no reduction in swelling at that
time. (Esch PM, Gerngross H,
Fabian A, Fortachr Med,107(4):67.8, 71-2 1989 Feb 10)
Another multi-center,
double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out to investigate the
clinical efficacy of Serrapeptase in 174 patients who
underwent Caldwell-Luc antrotomy for chronic empyema. Eighty-eight patients received 10 mg Serrapeptase 3 times the day before surgery, once the night
of the operation and 3 times daily for 5 days after surgery; the other 86
received a placebo. The degree of swelling in the serrapeptase-treated patients was significantly less than
that in the placebo-treated patients at every point of observation after surgery
up to the 5th day. Maximal buccal swelling throughout
all the postoperative points of observation was also significantly smaller in
size in the Serrapeptase group. No side effects were
reported. (Tachibana M, Mizukosi 0,
Harada Y, Kawamoto K, Nakai Y. Source: Pharmathera-peutica, 3(8):526-30
1984).
Additionally, Serrapeptase in a
70 patient, double-blind controlled trial treating breast engorgement saw Serrapeptase improve breast pain and swelling in significant
numbers of the treatment group with no adverse reactions. (Kee WH, Tan SL; Lee V, Salmon YM .Singapore Med J, 30(I) :48-54 1989 Feb)
Researchers in
Medications blocking cholesterol biosynthesis
hold the threat of liver, eye, lung and other soft tissue damage. While studies
with Serrapeptase in the treatment of coronary artery
disease are relatively new; some literature reports Serrapeptase as being superior to, and faster than, chelation.
The late German physician Dr. Hans Nieper used serrapeptase to treat
arterial blockage in his coronary patients, reporting that serrapeptase also dissolves blood clots, and causes varicose
veins to shrink or diminish. A
In
addition, Serrapeptase has been used for
fibrocystic breast disease and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Serrapeptase is also used to facilitate the therapeutic
effect of antibiotics in the treatment of infection. In urology serrapeptase has been successfully employed to treat
cystitis and epididymitis
Serrapeptase References
1. Kee WH, Tan SL, Lee V, Salmon YM. The
treatment of breast engorgement with Serrapeptase
(Danzen): a randomized double-blind controlled trial.
2. Mizukoshi, D. et al. A double-blind
clinical study of serrapeptase in the treatment of
chronic sinusitis. Igaku Ayrni 109:50-62.1979.
3. Carratu, L. et al. Physio-chemical
and rheological research on mucolytic activity of serrapeptase
in chronic broncho-pneumopathies. Curr.Ther. Res. 28(6):937-951. 1980.
4.
5. Mazzone A, et al.Evaluation
of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation
of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial versus
placebo. J Int Med Res. 1990;
18(5):379-88.
6. Conticello, S. et al. La serrapeptase in ORL Nuova Clin. ORL 31:15-20,1979.
7.
Pallotti, S. et al. Valutazu-one della'attivita fibrinolytica della serrapeptase. Farmaci 3:163-173,1982.
8.
Kakinumu, A. et al. Regression of fibrinolysis in scalded rats by administration of serrapeptase. Biochem. Pharmacol.
31:2861-2866,1982.
9. Marly, M. Enzymotherapie
anti-inflammatoire a l'aide
de la serrapeptase: resultats cliniques en traumatologie et en ORL. C RTherapeut. 3:9-19,1985.
10. Odagiri, J. et al.
Clinical applications of serrapeptase in
sinusitis. Med. Consult. New Remedy 6:201-209, 1979.
11. Yamazaki,
J. et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of TSP, a protease produced by a strain of
Serratia. Folia Pharmacol. Japon. 6^302-314,1967.
12. Elies, W. et al.
Akute und subakute Entzundungen der Nassenbenholen. Z. Allmeinmed.
4:92-95, 1987.
13. Harada, Y. Clinical efficacy of serrapeptase on buccal swelling
after radical operation for chronic sinusitis. Igaku
Ayumi 123:768-778.1982.
14.
15. Perna, L. Osservazioni cliniche sul trattamento in doppio cieco con Serratio peptidasi, nella rinite perenne nella rinitie cronica riacutizzata con sinusopatia. nella bronchite cronica riacutizzata. Riv. Pat. Clin.Tuberc. Penumol. 56:509-516,1985.
16. Fujitani, T. et
al. Effect of anti-inflammatory agent on transfer of antibiotics to the
maxillary sinus mucosa in chronic sinusitis. Otorhinolaryngol. Clin.
North Am. 66:557-565. 1976.
17. Tago.
T. and Mitsui, S. Effects of serrapeptase in dissolution of sputum, especially in
patients with bronchial asthma. Jap. Clin. Exp.
Med. 49:222-228, 1972.
18. Tomoda, K. and Miyatam K. Some information on the
composition of tracheal secretions before and after the administration of serrapeptase. Exper. Ther.
477:9-16, 1972.
19. Kase Y, et al. A
new method for evaluating mucolytic expectorant
activity and its application to two proteolytic
enzymes, serratiopeptidase and seaprose. Arznelrnitteltorachung. 1982; 32:374-378.
20. Marriott, C.
Modification of the rheoloaical properties of mucus by
drugs. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 144^75-84,
1982.
21. Majima. Y. et al. Effects of orally administered drugs on
dynamic viscoelasticity of human nasal mucus. Am. Rev.
Respir. Dis. 141:79-83.1990.
22. Miyata, K.
Intestinal absorption of serrapeptase. J ApplBiochem. 1980:2:111-16.
23. Aso T. et al. Breast
engorgement and its treatment: Clinical effects of Danzen (serrapeptase) an
anti-inflammatory enzyme preparation. The world of Obstetrics
and Gynecology (Japanese). 1981:33:371-9.
24. Esch PM, Gemgross H. Fabian A. Reduction of postoperative swelling.
Objective measurement of swelling of the upper ankle joint in
treatment with serrapeptase-a prospective study
(German). FortschrMed. 1989;
107(4):67-8, 71-2.
25. Majima Y, Inagaki M,
Hirata K. Takeuchi K, Morishita A, Sakakura Y. The effect of an orally
administered proteolytic enzyme on the elasticity and
viscosity of nasal mucus. Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1988;244(6):355-9.
26. Selan L, Berlutti F, Passariello C, Comodi-Ballanti MR, Thaller MC.Proteolytic enzymes: a new treatment strategy for prosthetic
infections? Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1993;
37(12):2618-21.
27. Koyama A, Mori J, Tokuda H, Waku M, Anno H, Katayama
T, Murakami K, Komatsu H, Hirata M, Arai T, et al. Augmentation by serrapeptase of tissue permeation by cefotiam (Japanese). Jpn JAntibiot. 1986; 39(3):761-71.
Cystic
Breast Disease
Serrapeptase has also been used in the successful treatment of fibrocystic breast disease. In a double-blind study, 70 patients complaining of breast engorgement randomly were divided into a treatment group and a placebo group. Serrapeptase was superior to the placebo for improvement of breast pain, breast swelling and induration (firmness). 85.7 percent of the patients receiving serrapeptase reported moderate to marked improvement. No adverse reactions to serrapeptase were reported and the researchers concluded that "serrapeptase is a safe and effective method for the treatment of breast engorgement." (21,19)
Serrapeptase
and Sinusitis
Due to its inflammatory properties, serrapeptase has been shown in clinical studies to benefit chronic sinusitis sufferers. In this condition, the mucus in patients’ nasal cavities is thickened and hypersecreted. This thickening causes mucus to be expelled less frequently. Japanese researchers evaluated the effects of serratiopeptidase (30 mg/day orally for four weeks) on the elasticity and viscosity of the nasal mucus in adult patients with chronic sinusitis. Serratiopeptidase reduced the viscosity of the mucus, improving the elimination of bronchopulmonary secretions.(23)
Other clinical trials support serrapeptase's ability to relieve the problems associated with chronic sinusitis. In one study, 140 patients with acute or chronic ear, nose and throat pathologies were evaluated with either a placebo or the active serratia peptidase. Patients taking the serrapeptase experienced a significant reduction in severity of pain, amount of secretion, purulence of secretions, difficulty in swallowing, nasal dysphonia, nasal obstruction, anosmia, and body temperature after three to four days and at the end of treatment. Patients suffering from laryngitis, catarrhal rhinopharyngitis and sinusitis who were treated with serrapeptase experienced a significant and rapid improvement of symptoms after 3-4 days. Physicians assessed efficacy of treatment as excellent or good for 97.3 percent of patients treated with serrapeptase compared with only 21.9 percent of those treated with a placebo.(24)
Respiratory diseases are characterized by increased production of a more dense mucus modified in viscosity and elasticity. Traditionally, in respiratory diseases, muco-active drugs are prescribed to reestablish the physicochemical characteristics of the mucus in order to restore respiratory function. Some of these drugs, however, cause a functional depletion of mucus, whereas Serrapeptase alters the elasticity of mucus without depleting it.(25,10)
A powerful agent by itself, serrapeptase teamed with antibiotics delivers increased concentrations of the antimicrobial agent to the site of the infection. Bacteria often endure a process called biofilm formation, which results in resistance to antimicrobial agents. In an attempt to prevent this bacterial immunity, researchers have experimented with various means of inhibiting biofilm-embedded bacteria. Their search may have ended with serrapeptase. One study conducted by Italian researchers suggests that proteolytic enzymes could significantly enhance the activities of antibiotics against biofilms. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that serratiopeptidase greatly enhances the activity of the antibiotic, ofloxacin, and that it can inhibit biofilm formation.(28)
Another double-blind randomized study evaluated the effects of administering the antibiotic cephalexin in conjunction with serrapeptase or a placebo to 93 patients suffering from either perennial rhinitis, chronic rhinitis with sinusitis or chronic relapsing bronchitis. The serratia peptidase treated group experienced significant improvement in rhinorrhea, nasal stuffiness, coryza and improvement of the para-nasal sinus shadows.(24)
Researchers witnessed equally impressive results in the treatment of infections in lung cancer patients undergoing thoracotomy. Serrapeptase and cefotiam, an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms, were administered to 35 thoracotomy patients with lung cancer. The patients were divided into two groups. A single dose of cefotiam was administered to the 17 subjects in Group I. The 18 subjects in Group II received a combination of Cefotiam and serrapeptase. The level of the antibiotic in the tissues versus the blood was significantly higher in the serrapeptase group than the single dose group.(22)
Cardiovascular
Implications
Hans A. Nieper, M.D., an internist from
Conclusion
Regardless of whether serrapeptase is used for inflammatory diseases or to prevent plaque build up on the arteries, it is well-tolerated. Due to its lack of side effects and anti-inflammatory capabilities, serrapeptase is a logical choice to replace harmful NSAIDs. Thanks to the tiny larvae of the silk moth, researchers have taken a large step toward finding relief for inflammatory disease sufferers.