Preparation Note

The product may be suspended in acetate buffer, pH 4.5 at 1 mg/mL concentration, yielding a hazy, off-white suspension.

Unit Definition

One unit will release 1.0 micromole of p-nitrophenol from N-alpha-CBZ-L-Lysine p-nitrophenyl ester per minute at pH 4.6 at 25 °C. One old titrimetric unit (pH 4.5 at 45 °C) is equivalent to approximately 1.7 new units (pH 4.6 at 25 °C).

Application

Bromelain may be used to inhibit the biosysnthesis of proinflammatory prostaglandins. It may be used to reduce clotting efficiency. Bromelain, from pineapple stem, has been used to make enzymatic hydrolysates of honeybee-collected pollen .

Biochem/physiol Actions

Bromelain is a cysteine endopeptidase with broad specificity for cleavage of proteins. Bromelain may be from a stem or piece of fruit. Product B4882 is from pineapple stem. Product P3169 (pGlu-Phe-Leu-p-nitroanilide) may be used as a chromogenic substrate for the assay of bromelain.