The enzyme of enzymes - Nattokinase

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Nov, 2002 by Nicholas Dr. Calvino

While the human body contains several enzymes that promote the creation of blood clots, it only produces one that can dissolve clots (Plasmin), and the production of that enzyme diminishes as we age. It is interesting to note that oral Nattokinase (NK) in this study was more effective than Plasmin in dissolving thrombi. Research indicates that the mechanisms of Nattokinase stems from its close resemblance to endogenous plasmin; it appears to be able to dissolve fibrin directly and it may enhance the body's own production of plasmin. Furthermore, Nattokinase appears to have ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) Inhibitor activity and in studies has been able to lower Systolic Blood Pressure up to 11% and diastolic pressure up to 9.7%.

Nattokinase produces a prolonged action (unlike antithrombin drugs that wear off shortly after IV treatment is discontinued) in two ways: it prevents coagulation of blood and it dissolves existing thrombus. Both the efficacy and the prolonged action of NK can be determined by measuring levels of EFA (euglobulin fibrinolytic activity) and FDP (fibrin degradation products), which both become elevated as fibrin is being dissolved. By measuring EFA & FDP levels, activity of NK has been determined to last from 8 to 12 hours. An additional parameter for confirming the action of NK following oral administration is a rise in blood levels of t-PA antigen (tissue plasminogen activator), which indicates a release of t-PA from the endothelial cells and/ or the liver.

Exciting Research

Dr. Sumi and his colleagues induced blood clots in male dogs, then orally administered either four capsules of Nattokinase (250 mg per capsule) or four placebo capsules to each dog. Angiograms (X-rays of blood vessels) revealed that the dogs who received Nattokinase regained normal blood circulation (free of the clot) within five hours of treatment. Blood clots in the dogs who received only placebo showed no sign of dissolving in the 18 hours following treatment. Researchers from Biotechnology Research Laboratories and JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. of Kobe, Japan, tested Nattokinase's ability to dissolve a thrombus in the carotid arteries of rats. Animals treated with Nattokinase regained 62% of blood flow, whereas those treated with plasmin regained just 15.8% of blood flow. Another research team from JCR Pharmaceuticals, Oklahoma State University, and Miyazaki Medical College tested Nattokinase on 12 healthy Japanese volunteers (6 men and 6 women, between the ages of 21 and 55). They gave the volunteers 200 grams of natto (the food) before breakfast, then tracked fibrinolytic activity through a series of blood plasma tests. The tests indicated that the natto generated a heightened ability to dissolve blood clots: On average, the volunteers' ELT (a measure of how long it takes to dissolve a blood clot) dropped by 48% within two hours of treatment, and volunteers retained an enhanced ability to dissolve blood clots for 2 to 8 hours. As a control, researchers later fed the same amount of boiled soybeans to the same volunteers and tracked their fibrinolytic activity. The tests showed no significant change.