Isolation of a fibrinolysis enzyme activator from commercial bromelain.

A fibrinolysis enzyme activator was isolated from commercial bromelain. This enzyme preparation is used medicinally. A by-product of bromelain production, the acetone still residue, was used as a starting material to develop an isolation scheme which began with reversed phase chromatography, was followed by ion exchange chromatography, and ended with ultrafiltration. It had polarity and ion exchange properties similar to those of a neutral amino acid. The active substance has no intrinsic fibrinolytic activity but appears to enhance the activity of one of the fibrinolytic enzymes. The presence of the fibrinolysis enzyme activator in commercial bromelain may explain some of the physiological and clinical effects observed following the oral administration of the enzyme preparation.