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Serrapeptase

Serrapeptase is a chemical produced from the silkworm. In Europe and Japan, serrapeptase is a commonly used drug, while in America serrapeptase is classified as a dietary supplement.

Serrapeptase is used for painful conditions including back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia carpal tunnel syndrome, migraine headaches and tension headaches.

Serrapeptase is also used for conditions involving pain and inflammatory swelling such as sinusitis, laryngitis, sore throat, inflammation of the ears, swelling after surgery, swelling of a vein due to the formation of a blood clot (thrombophlebitis) and inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and some people use Serrapeptase for heart disease and arteriosclerosis. Women use serrapeptase for non-cancerous lumps in the breast and breastfeeding mothers use serrapeptase for breast pain caused by too much breast milk. Other uses include the treatment of diabetes, leg ulcers, asthma and pus accumulation.

How does Serrapeptase work?

Serrapeptase helps the body to break down protein. This may help to reduce inflammation and mucus formation.

How effective is serrapeptase?

Serrapeptase may be effective for facial swelling after surgery to clear the sinuses.

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of serrapeptase in the following areas of application:

  • Chronic bronchitis: new research suggests that Serrapeptase can significantly reduce cough and thin secretions after four weeks of treatment in people suffering from chronic bronchitis.
  • Sinusitis: New research suggests that there is a significant reduction in pain, nasal secretions and nasal congestion after 3 to 4 days of treatment in people suffering from sinusitis who take Serrapeptase.
  • Laryngitis: New research suggests that Serrapeptase can significantly reduce pain, secretions, difficulty swallowing and fever in people suffering from laryngitis after 3 to 4 days of treatment.
  • Strep throat: New research suggests that Serrapeptase can significantly reduce pain, secretions, difficulty swallowing and fever in people suffering from strep throat after 3 to 4 days of treatment.

There is also a lack of scientific information on the effectiveness of serrapeptase for back pain, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, leg ulcers, migraine headaches, tension headaches, asthma, pyorrhea, thrombophlebitis, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, heart disease and ear infections.

Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Serrapeptase in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Serrapeptase appears to be safe for adults when taken orally for up to 4 weeks. The long-term safety of Serrapeptase is not known.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of Serrapeptase during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid Serrapeptase.

Blood clotting disorders: Serrapeptase may interfere with blood clotting, which is why some scientists are concerned that serrapeptase may worsen blood clotting disorders. If you suffer from a blood clotting disorder, you should discuss the use of serrapeptase with your doctor.

Operations: Serrapeptase could slow down blood clotting. There are concerns that this could increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. For this reason, the use of Serrapeptase should be stopped at least 2 weeks before planned operations.

Interactions

Care should be taken when combining Serrapeptase with the following medications:

Medications that slow down blood clotting

Serrapeptase could slow down blood clotting. Taking Serrapeptase in combination with medicines that also slow down blood clotting could increase the risk of bleeding and the tendency to bruise.

Some medications that can slow blood clotting include aspirin, diclofenac (Voltaren), ibuprofen, naproxen, heparin, warfarin and others.

Dosage

The following dosages have been investigated in scientific studies:

Oral:

  • To reduce swelling after sinus surgery: 10 mg serrapeptase three times daily the day before surgery, once in the evening after surgery and then three times daily for 5 days after surgery.

References

  1. Mazzone A, Catalani M, Costanzo M, et al. Evaluation of Serratia peptidase in acute or chronic inflammation of otorhinolaryngology pathology: a multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial versus placebo. J Int Med Res 1990;18:379-88.
  2. Nakamura S, Hashimoto Y, Mikami M, et al. Effect of the proteolytic enzyme serrapeptase in patients with chronic airway disease. Respirology 2003;8:316-20.
  3. Shimizu H, Ueda M, Takai T, et al. A case of serratiopeptidase-induced subepidermal bullous dermatosis. J Int Med Res 1990;18:379-88.
  4. Tachibana M, Mizukoshi O, Harada Y, et al. A multi-center, double-blind study of serrapeptase versus placebo in post-antrotomy buccal swelling. Pharmatherapeutica 1984;3:526-30.