Nattokinase
Encyclopedia
Nattokinase is an enzyme
extracted and purified from a Japanese food called nattō
. Nattō is a food made from fermented soybeans that has been eaten in Japan for many years. Nattō is produced by fermentation
by adding the bacterium Bacillus natto, a beneficial bacteria, to boiled soybeans. The resulting nattokinase enzyme is produced when the bacterium acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the nattō preparation that contains the specific nattokinase enzyme.
Nattokinase is sometimes promoted in the alternative medicine
community as a clot-buster and blood thinner or as a substitute for daily aspirin therapy. However, this substitution is not recommended since there is no evidence that nattokinase is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. Nattokinase may interact with aspirin to increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage
.
Nattokinase has been effectively marketed by Kenrico
in a patented product that prevents cell damage or apoptosis
. Sold under the trade name Lexirin, it is derived from fermented soybean to address gastrointenstinal disorders, dermatological conditions, and immunodeficiencies.
There is also evidence of nattokinase being effective in catabolism of toxic amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
Enzyme
Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...
extracted and purified from a Japanese food called nattō
Natto
is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis. It is popular especially as a breakfast food. As a rich source of protein and probiotics, nattō and the soybean paste miso formed a vital source of nutrition in feudal Japan. Nattō can be an acquired taste because...
. Nattō is a food made from fermented soybeans that has been eaten in Japan for many years. Nattō is produced by fermentation
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
by adding the bacterium Bacillus natto, a beneficial bacteria, to boiled soybeans. The resulting nattokinase enzyme is produced when the bacterium acts on the soybeans. While other soy foods contain enzymes, it is only the nattō preparation that contains the specific nattokinase enzyme.
Nattokinase is sometimes promoted in the alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
community as a clot-buster and blood thinner or as a substitute for daily aspirin therapy. However, this substitution is not recommended since there is no evidence that nattokinase is effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. Nattokinase may interact with aspirin to increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage
Intracranial hemorrhage
An intracranial hemorrhage is a hemorrhage, or bleeding, within the skull.-Causes:Intracranial bleeding occurs when a blood vessel within the skull is ruptured or leaks. It can result from physical trauma or nontraumatic causes such as a ruptured aneurysm...
.
Nattokinase has been effectively marketed by Kenrico
Kenrico
Kenrico is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan. Established in 1985, the company focuses on pharmaceuticals related to nutrition, alternative medicine, toxin extraction, and organic green teas...
in a patented product that prevents cell damage or apoptosis
Apoptosis
Apoptosis is the process of programmed cell death that may occur in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes and death. These changes include blebbing, cell shrinkage, nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation, and chromosomal DNA fragmentation...
. Sold under the trade name Lexirin, it is derived from fermented soybean to address gastrointenstinal disorders, dermatological conditions, and immunodeficiencies.
There is also evidence of nattokinase being effective in catabolism of toxic amyloid fibrils associated with Alzheimer's Disease.