Nattokinase and Serrapeptase: Nature's Clot Busters

February 23, 2009

http://www.vrp.com/articles.aspx?page=LIST & ProdID=1227 & zType=2Nattokinase and Serrapeptase:

Nature's Clot-Busters

By South, M.A.

Blood

clotting is not something most people worry about. You get a cut, a

clot forms, the bleeding stops, end of story. Yet excessive clotting

can be deadly. As J. Heinrich and colleagues note: "Coronary thrombosis

is regarded as the final occlusive event in the progress of coronary

heart disease (CHD). Disturbances of the hemostatic system may favor

this process and thus may indicate increased risk of myocardial

infarction [or cerebrovascular event]."1 Translation:

inappropriate, unnecessary blood clots may form in your blood vessels

and trigger a heart attack or stroke. This happens to millions of

Americans every year, often leading to permanent disability or death. The question is: Why? And what can be done about it?Clot FormationA

clot (technically known as a "thrombus") forms when platelets and red

blood cells clump together. It is the blood protein fibrin that "glues"

them together. Fibrin is formed at the site of a clot from the soluble

circulating protein fibrinogen. If the clot forms at the site of a

broken or cut blood vessel, it is appropriate, even lifesaving. If

the clot forms inside a blood vessel in the absence of a wound or

trauma, it is unnecessary, even life-threatening, since it may plug up

a crucial heart or brain artery. There are more than 20 enzymes

involved in the coagulation cascade that creates clots, but only one

enzyme—plasmin—that can dissolve fibrin and thus break up small clots. Plasmin,

a thrombolytic (clot-dissolving) enzyme, is made from plasminogen

through the action of an enzyme, tissue plasminogen activator (TPA).

Thromobolytic enzymes are produced in blood vessel linings, and their

production drops with age. To make matters worse, even in healthy

people fibrinogen levels rise by 25 mg/dl per decade.2 "There are

several pathways by which acute or chronic increase in fibrinogen

levels can lead to a cardiovascular [or cerebrovascular] event…,

including…increased platelet aggregation and thrombus formation, and

increased fibrin formation."3 In other words, high fibrinogen

levels tend to promote the spontaneous formation of unnecessary

fibrin-clots. High fibrinogen (and thus implicitly, high fibrin) levels

are such a serious risk factor for heart attacks and strokes that one

major study of 2,116 men found that those who had high LDL ("bad")

cholesterol—but low fibrinogen levels—had only one-sixth the heart

attack risk of men with high LDL and high fibrinogen levels.1NattokinaseFortunately,

nature has provided us with a way to augment our gradually diminishing

clot-busting activity. In 1980, while studying physiological chemistry

at the University of Chicago Medical School, Japanese researcher

Hiroyuki Sumi accidentally discovered that a traditional Japanese

food—natto—had the ability to dissolve thrombi.4 He and his research

group published a brief paper on the discovery in 1987, describing the

"strong fibrinolytic [clot-dissolving] activity" of the fermented soy

cheese, natto.5 The Sumi research group was able to purify and

identify a specific enzyme from the soy cheese that he called

"nattokinase."5 Because natto has been widely consumed in Japan for

over a thousand years, Dr. Sumi felt safe in performing human and

animal experiments with nattokinase. In 1990 the Sumi research group

published the results of a series of experiments demonstrating

nattokinase's potent fibrinolytic activity.6 In the first

study, 12 volunteers (six men and six women) were fed 200 grams (seven

ounces) of natto, and two methods of measuring their blood's

fibrinolytic activity were used. In the euglobulin clot lysis test, a

blood sample was taken and the formation of a thrombus (clot) was then

artificially stimulated. The time required for the blood to completely

dissolve the clot was then measured. The time needed to completely

dissolve the clot was cut in half compared to those in the control

group. The fibrin plate method was then used on other blood samples. In

this test blood was added to a plate with a special polymerized

fibrinogen to see how much it would dissolve in four hours. The control

group's blood had no effect in this test, but the natto group's blood

dissolved 15 mm² of fibrinogen in this test.Next, the research

team had volunteers take crude nattokinase tablets for eight days,

using the same two tests plus the fibrin degradation product test. They

also measured tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) blood levels. These

tests further confirmed nattokinase's clot-busting power, with the men

showing an increase in TPA activity as well. While Dr. Sumi had

previously shown that nattokinase had direct fibrinolytic activity,5

the finding of increased TPA activity (which increases plasmin) showed

nattokinase to augment the body's own fibrinolytic activity.Finally,

the Sumi team gave one group of dogs nattokinase tablets and another

group a placebo. The team then created a thrombus in a major leg vein

in each dog which completely blocked the vein, as shown in angiograms.

Within five hours the nattokinase-fed dogs had a complete re-opening of

their leg vein circulation, while the dogs fed the placebo still had

complete vein occlusion (blockage) 18 hours later.6More Nattokinase ResearchIn

1995 M. Fujita and colleagues reported their results with rats and

nattokinase.7 The carotid artery (which feeds the brain) was injured to

induce thrombus formation, which completely blocked the artery. Three

enzymes—elastase, plasmin, and nattokinase—were then tested on

different rats. After one hour, elastase (a close "chemical

cousin" of plasmin and nattokinase) had produced no re-opening of the

blocked carotid artery whatsoever. Plasmin restored about 16 percent of

normal circulation in one hour. But the nattokinase succeeded in

restoring carotid brain circulation 62 percent. As the researchers

modestly concluded: "The results indicate that the thrombolytic

[clot-dissolving] activity of nattokinase is stronger than that of

plasmin or elastase in vivo."7In 1994, an amazing case was

reported demonstrating nattokinase's ability to restore blood

circulation. A 58-year-old man suffering from central retinal vein

occlusion in his right eye came to a university hospital. The clot had

caused fluid accumulation and bleeding in the eye, leading to loss of

vision. The researchers prescribed a 100-gram (three-ounce) dose of

natto, to be eaten before bed every night as a way to get nattokinase

to his eye. He was also prescribed a drug to reduce the

blockage-induced bleeding. By the tenth day eye bleeding was

halted. By the twentieth day his eye circulation was so improved his

vision returned and he was released from the hospital. He continued to

eat natto two days weekly, and two months later a retinal angiogram

showed a complete clearing of the retinal blockage.8SerrapeptaseSerrapeptase,

also called serratia peptidase, is an enzyme derived from the Serratia

bacteria, which lives in the intestinal tract of silkworms. It has been

used for over 30 years in Europe and Asia (where it is called Danzen®)

to reduce pain, inflammation and excessive mucous secretion.9,10,11

Serrapeptase has been shown to be well-absorbed from the intestinal

tract, although it must be enterically coated to protect it from

degradation in the stomach.12,13 Hans Nieper, a pioneering

medical doctor in Germany, has recommended serrapeptase for decades to

gradually reduce atherosclerotic plaque buildup. Mazzone and coworkers

note that "serritia peptidase (Danzen)…, which is available in tablet

form to enable it to be absorbed from the intestinal lumen, has been

shown to induce intense fibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory, and

anti-edemic activity…"11 Since inflammation increases fibrinogen

levels,2 and increased fibrinogen increases pathological clotting

risk,1,2,3 the powerful anti-inflammatory activity of serrapeptase10,14

complements its fibrinolytic activity. An ideal natural clot-busting supplement should therefore combine nattokinase and enterically coated serrapeptase granules.Clot-Busting CautionsNattokinase,

naturally present in and absorbed from natto, has been consumed safely

in Japan for a thousand years. Serrapeptase has been safely and widely

used in Europe and Asia for more than 30 years. They are helpful in

preventing or reversing the pathological hypercoagulation tendencies

common among modern Americans. Yet not everyone should take

nattokinase/serrapeptase (NKSP). People with bleeding disorders, such

as hemophilia or a group of diseases called "hemorrhagic diathesias,"

should not take NKSP. People with ongoing bleeding problems, including

ulcers, recent surgery, recent major trauma, or hemorrhoids, should not

take NKSP. Anyone who has ever suffered intracranial bleeding, or who

has had neurosurgery or ischemic stroke in the previous six months,

should also avoid NKSP. Severe uncontrolled high blood pressure is also

a contraindication for NKSP. Last, those taking blood-thinning drugs

such as heparin, Coumadin® or aspirin should use NKSP only if advised

and carefully monitored by their prescribing physician.DosageIn

Dr. Sumi's original nattokinase paper, it was reported that natto had

an average of 40 fibrinolytic units (FUs) per gram.5 In human research,

50 to 200 grams is the typical daily food dose used to supply

nattokinase. This would be equivalent to a dose of 2,000 to 8,000 FUs. References:1. Heinrich, J. et al. "Fibrinogen and factor VII in the prediction of coronary risk." Arterioscler Thromb 1994, 14:54-59.2. Hager, K. et al. "Fibrinogen and Aging." Aging (Milano) 1994, 6:133-38.3. Montalescot, G. et al. "Fibrinogen as a risk factor for coronary heart disease." Eur Heart J 1998, 19 Suppl H:H11-17.4. Interview with Doctor of Medicine Hiroyuki Sumi, Japan Bio Science Laboratory Co., Ltd., 1998.5. Sumi, H. et al. "A novel fibrinolytic enzyme (nattokinase) in the vegetable cheese natto…." Experientia 1987, 43:1110-11.6.

Sumi, H. et al. "Enhancement of the fibrinolytic activity in plasma by

oral administration of nattokinase." Acta Haematol 1990, 84: 139-43.7.

Fujita, M. et al. "Thrombolytic effect of nattokinase on a chemically

induced thrombosis model in rat." Bio Pharm Bull 1995, 18:1387-91.8.

Nishimura, K. et al. "Natto diet was apparently effective in a case of

incipient central retinal vein occlusion." Jpn Rev Clin Ophthalmol

1994, 88:1381-85.9. Kee, W. et al. "The treatment of breast

engorgement with serrapeptase (Danzen & Mac226;): a randomized

double-blind controlled trial." Singapore Med J 1989, 30:48-54.10.

Tomoda, K. and Miyatam, K. "Some information on the composition of

tracheal secretions before and after the administration of

Danzen & Mac226;" Exper Ther 1972, 477:9-16.11. 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,

18:379-88.12. Miyata, K. "Intestinal absorption of serratia peptidase." J Appl Biochem 1980, 2:111-16.13. Moriya, N. et al. "Intestinal absorption of serrapeptase (TSP) in rats." Biotechnol Appl Biochem 1994, 20(pt.1):101-08.14.

Esch, P. et al. "A reduction of postoperative swelling. Objective

measurement of swelling of the upper ankle joint in treatment with

serrapeptase—a prospective study" (in German). Fortschr Med

1989,107:67-68,71-72.

Free shipping for orders over $150

Details »

(your cart is empty)

Sign In

Nattokinase and Serrapeptase: Nature's Clot Busters

Recommended Posts

Guest guest

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Activity