The Effect of Bromelain (Anaheal) on Clinical and Para-Clinical Parameters in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients

Alireza Jahangirifard; Ashkan Omidi; Kurdistan Sharifzadeh; Seyed Bashir Mirtajani; Farzad Peyravian; Saeid Safari; Maedeh Sadat Jafarzadeh; Seyed Hadi Mirhashemi; Behrooz Farzanegan

doi:10.18502/acta.v59i12.8066

Alireza Jahangirifard Lung Transplant Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Ashkan Omidi School of Medicine, Tehran Medical Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Kurdistan Sharifzadeh Anesthesiology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Bashir Mirtajani Lung Transplant Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Farzad Peyravian School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Saeid Safari Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Maedeh Sadat Jafarzadeh Critical Care Quality Improvement Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Seyed Hadi Mirhashemi Department of General Surgery, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Behrooz Farzanegan Critical Care Quality Improvement Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/acta.v59i12.8066

Keywords: Bromelain; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Inflammatory response; Clinical symptoms; Respiratory parameters; Immunological factors

Abstract

The severity of COVID-19 disease and its mortality may be due to a localized vascular problem owing to the activation of bradykinin B1 receptors on endothelial cells in the lungs that occur following inflammation. Bromelain acts as an anti-inflammatory factor and can lower the level of bradykinin in the serum and tissues. Patients with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) referred to Masih Daneshvari Hospital in Tehran were included in the study after providing full explanations and obtaining written consent. The 40 patients with mild to moderate symptoms were randomly divided into the control group (No: 20) and sample (No: 20). In the sample group, a dose of 200 mg bromelain was given to patients every 8 hours. In the control group, placebo capsules were administered exactly at the above intervals. Clinical and paraclinical factors (including SaO2, RR body temperature, MAP, HR, CRP, ESR, AST, ALT, Bil, BUN, Cr, WBC, Lymph, LDH, Plt were evaluated on a regular basis for up to five days. The results were evaluated using t-test and SPSS21 software. After treatment, the sample (Bromelain) group indicated significant improvement in SaO2, RR, HR, AST, ALT, BUN, ESR, LDH, and WBC and Lymphocyte count (P<0.05). Other factors did not have a significant difference with the control group. Bromelain causes improvement in some clinical symptoms such as respiratory parameters and para clinical items of mild to moderate hospitalized COVID-19 patients, so it can be a promising treatment. Furthered evaluation of larger groups is recommended.