Proteolytic Enzymes: Effective for Inflammation

Proteolytic enzymes are essentially the regulators and the modulators of the inflammatory response. Enzymes are the catalyst for virtually every chemical reaction in the body. Some experts believe that the body contains upward of 50,000 different enzymes, with more than 3,000 having currently been identified. These enzymes have been compared to specialized keys with each enzyme key fitting a corresponding lock. (The locks being biochemical reactions.) Proteolytic enzymes are a specific group of enzymes whose catalytic function is to sever the bonds between peptides and eventually break them down into amino acids, which are the building blocks of virtually all the cells and tissue that make up the body. According to Nutrition Review, Italian researchers have shown that proteolytic enzymes have the ability to reduce inflammation equal or superior to that of the four steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: Phenylbutazone, Hydrocortisone, Indomethacin, and Acetylsalicylic Acid.