Abstract
Bromelain is an extract of pineapple associated with different proteases which are fibrinolytic, antithrombotic agents. The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective efficacy of Bromelain on cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats. Focal ischemia and reperfusion were induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Bromelain dose was fixed based on acute toxicity studies. The neuroprotection property of Br was determined through enzyme antioxidant, oxidative stress markers, toxicity markers and histopathology studies. Pretreatment with Bromelain significantly reversed and restored the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), total glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), Na+K+ATPase activity. There was a significant reduction in the levels of MDA, NO, PGE2 and calcium levels in Middle cerebral artery occlusion rats. These results revealed that there was a prevention in the stroke induced changes in the brain to near normal in the groups pre-treated with Bromelain. Further the results were supported by histopathology studies. The neuroprotective effect of Bromelain might be attributed to its fibrinolytic, anti platelet, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.
