Recent advances in nanocarriers containing Bromelain: In vitro and in vivo studies

Medicinal products of plant origin have long been considered the most affordable and accessible sources to treat different health problems. Bromelain (Br) is a mixture of enzymes derived from pineapple (Ananas comosus L.) with a wide field of applications including medicine, health, food, and cosmetics. Br has various therapeutic effects, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, wound healing, burn treatment, pain relief, anti-inflammatory, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and fibrinolytic activity. On the other hand, most proteins are susceptible to denaturation and structural changes that may reduce their activities. Encapsulation of drug molecules into nanoparticles (NPs) could increase their stability, bioavailability, and overcome other challenges in drug delivery and therapy. This review aimed to highlight various Br nano-formulations approaches, toward the improvement of Br therapeutic efficiency.