Pineapple is also known as pineapple (Southern region). Pineapple contains many nutrients that are beneficial to health. In addition, bromelain in pineapple has many medicinal properties such as anti-inflammatory, reducing edema, blood stasis…

1. Characteristics of pineapple

Pineapple has the scientific name Ananas sativa Liun. (Ananas sativa L.). Belongs to the Bromeliaceae family.

The pineapple plant is perennial. The leaves grow in a rosette, are long and hard, and have hard thorns on the edges.

When the plant has grown, a stem about 10 – 40cm long grows from that cluster of leaves, bearing a flower ending in a cluster of small leaves. The flowers are regular and bisexual. Each flower grows in the axils of a purple bract.

Three small green sepals, three larger purple petals, 6 stamens arranged in 2 whorls. The ovary has 3 cells, each cell contains 2 rows of island ovules.

Berry. The edible part and often called “pineapple” is actually composed of the axis of the flower and the succulent leaves coming together, while the real fruit is located in the pineapple eyes.

Pineapple originated in Central America, and is now grown in most tropical countries. In our country, pineapple cultivation is also very developed, mainly for fruit consumption and export.

Pineapple is also a source of raw material for bromelain enzyme extraction. Our people also use the young shoots as medicine, harvested in the spring, usually only used fresh.

Chemical composition of pineapple: Pineapple contains 90% water. In addition, pineapple also contains protein, organic acids, glucid, cellulose, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin PP and vitamin C.

2. Uses of bromelain enzyme in pineapple

Bromelain in pineapple has many medicinal properties.

All parts of the pineapple plant (stem, leaves, fruit) contain bromelain, the most concentrated in the pineapple stem (white core of the shoot) 8-20 times higher than in the fruit. Western pineapple contains more bromelain than Vietnamese pineapple. Bromelain is a protid hydrolyzing enzyme, heat-resistant.

Since 1963, bromelain has been used to treat digestive disorders of the stomach and intestines. At pH 3.3, bromelain acts like pepsin, at pH 6 like trypsin. In achlorhydric conditions, bromelain is still effective.

Bromelain inhibits inflammation, reduces edema and hematoma.

Bromelain applied to wounds or burns dissolves dead tissue, quickly forming scars.

Combining bromelain with the sleeping pill sodium pentobacbital increases the drug’s sleep time, combining with theophylline, ephedrine increases the anti-asthmatic and anti-bronchitis effects of these drugs.

The food industry also uses bromelain to tenderize meat, and the effect of bromelain is even stronger than that of papaya papain.

In addition, bromelain is also used to promote the hydrolysis of protein in the sauce processing industry.

3. Medicinal uses of pineapple

Pineapple juice is very good for health.

In addition to pineapple used for food, pineapple becomes the raw material for extracting bromelain used in many industries and as medicine.

People also use pineapple roots as a diuretic, to treat difficult urination, and to pass stones.

The juice of leaves and unripe pineapple fruit is a laxative (can cause miscarriage).

The young leaves are used as a medicine to treat fever.

Use 20 to 30g of pineapple buds per day in the form of a decoction or crushed to get the juice to drink.

Although pineapple has many uses for health and disease, when using pineapple, you should note the following points:

– Do not eat too much because pineapple can cause mouth irritation, weight gain because pineapple contains high sugar content, contains a lot of energy, especially for overweight, obese, and diabetic people.

– People with gastric ulcers should avoid eating a lot of pineapple because pineapple contains a lot of organic acids and some enzymes that can increase inflammation of the stomach and intestinal mucosa.

– Pregnant women should avoid eating a lot of pineapple because it can increase uterine contractions, easily causing miscarriage.

– Avoid eating pineapple when hungry because pineapple can cause stomach upset, nausea, hangover…