In vitro evaluation of cytotoxicity and antioxidant efficacy of bromelain

Abstract

Introduction: There is a growing interest to sustainably explore the potent antioxidant capacity of plant species. Pineapple has been incorporated in various herbal preparations since ancient times. Bromelain, a complex mixture of protease found in pineapples is widely administered for its clinical and therapeutic applications. The present study was aimed to assess the cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity of bromelain. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic effect by Brine shrimp lethality assay, Antioxidant effect by DPPH assay at 10μl, 20μl, 30μl, 40μl and 50μl. Results: Bromelain exhibits least cytotoxicity at 10μl, 40μl and 50μl where as moderate cytotoxicity at 20μl and 30μl. The antioxidant property of bromelain increases with an increase in the concentration. The percentage of inhibition was 38.7% at 10μl, 54.8% at 20μl, 60.5% at 30μl, 64.2% at 40μl and 79.9% at 50μl. Conclusion: Bromelain extracts are predominant sources of natural antioxidants with least cytotoxicity and can serve as an alternative approach to oxidative stress management.