Bromelain

Bromelain has a broad-spectrum antitumor effect mediated by cytotoxic, apoptotic, autophagic, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory actions. In more than 20 different cancer cell lines in vitro (breast, colon, liver, lung, melanoma, mesothelioma, leukemia, cholangiocarcinoma), it dose- and time-dependently decreases viability. It does this by triggering intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis, inducing cytotoxic autophagy and ferroptosis, arresting cell-cycle progression and blocking survival signalling. In addition, it digests extracellular matrix proteins, down-regulates matrix metalloproteinases and adhesion molecules, and consequently suppresses migration and metastasis.
Bromelain also cleaves surface receptors and potentiates T-cell activation. It increases the cytotoxicity of monocyte/macrophages while attenuating uncontrolled inflammation by suppressing IL-6, IL-1β, COX-2 and PGE2. In rodent skin, colon, lung, breast and ascitic tumours, oral or intraperitoneal administration of bromelain significantly reduced tumour volume, multiplicity and metastatic foci while also improving antioxidant status and survival.

Fig. 1 Anticancer molecular mechanisms of Bromelain. (Pezzani R.; et al. 2023)

Bromelain-capped silver nanoparticles (Ag-BL NPs) were prepared in a single green step by reducing and stabilising Ag⁺ with bromelain extract. TEM, XRD, DLS and FTIR showed spherical, crystalline particles whose surface-bound protein gave a strongly negative zeta potential, conferring high colloidal stability. Compared with neat Ag NPs or free bromelain, the hybrid exhibited superior broad-spectrum antimicrobial action.

Fig. 2 Bromelain-loaded silver nanoparticles. (Gheisari F.; et al. 2024)