Worm enzymes

[Guest guest]

I can think of no reason that such an enzyme would be specific for

" scar tissue " formed in the arteries, specifically. In fact, atheromas

are not scars at all.

JB

On Jan 9, 2005, at 10:45 AM, PozHealth wrote:

> True or commercial hype?

[Guest guest]

At 11:14 AM 1/9/2005, Barrow wrote:

I can think of no reason that

such an enzyme would be specific for " scar tissue " formed in

the arteries, specifically. In fact, atheromas are not scars at

all.

You may be correct and have raised a good question. There are some data

indicating that lumbrokinase is a fibrinolytic enzyme. There are various

fractions. Whether a specific product contains sufficient quantities to

have an effect, I don't know. Consistency of dosing can indeed be a

hobgoblin of " natural products. " A few studies below I got from

a quick search at PubMed using the term " lumbrokinase " - there

were 21 hits.

Google or dogpile are often useful places to search for information.

Eliminating the commercial " sales " sites using -.com can

enhance a search. Finally, recognizing the value of empiric observations

in traditions such as Chinese or Indian medicine can lead to potentially

useful interventions. Unfortunately, the supplements industry has but one

interest--just like the pharmaceutical industry: making money. So

caveat emptor, questions and eyebrows raised and healthy

skepticism is wise. All I ask is that people neither close their minds to

the possibilities nor embrace them with slackjawed gullibility.

M.

**

Hwang CM, Kim DI, Huh SH, Min BG, Park JH, Han JS, Lee BB, Kim YI, Ryu

ES, Kim JW. In vivo evaluation of lumbrokinase, a fibrinolytic enzyme

extracted from Lumbricus rubellus, in a prosthetic vascular graft. J

Cardiovasc Surg (Torino). 2002 Dec;43(6):891-894.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul

National University, Seoul, Korea.

BACKGROUND: Lumbrokinase (LK) is a fibrinolytic enzyme purified from the

earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. To investigate the fibrinolytic and

antithrombotic effects of lumbrokinase, a series of animal experiments

were performed. METHODS: The Dacron graft (3 mm in diameter, 3 cm in

length) were treated with LK via two different methods, simple dipping

and covalent bonding METHODS: Covalent bonding was performed by UV

reaction to polyacrylic acid. The grafts were interposed into the

inferior vena cava of the rabbits and harvested for 5 hours, 1, 2 and 4

weeks after the implantation. RESULTS: The LK non-treated graft (n=4)

were totally occluded with thrombus 5 hours after the implantation. Both

types of LK treated graft (n=8) were patent 1 week after the

implantation. The grafts treated with the simple dipping method (n=4)

were occluded with thrombus 2 weeks after the implantation. The grafts

treated with covalent bonding (n=4) were patent 4 weeks after the

implantation. Ultrastructural analysis of the luminal surface of the

patent grafts by scanning electron microscopy revealed the thin plasma

protein layer to be about 5 micro in thickness with platelet adhesions.

CONCLUSIONS: Lumbrokinase has potential antithrombotic effects in a small

diameter vascular prosthesis. The covalent bonding method proved to be

more effective than the simple dipping method.

**

Cho IH, Choi ES, Lim HG, Lee HH. Purification and characterization of six

fibrinolytic serine-proteases from earthworm Lumbricus rubellus. J

Biochem Mol Biol. 2004 Mar 31;37(2):199-205.

Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul 143-701,

Korea.

The six lumbrokinase fractions (F1 to F6) with fibrinolytic activities

were purified from earthworm Lumbricus rubellus lysates using the

procedures of autolysis, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and column

chromatography. The proteolytic activities on the casein substrate of the

six iso-enzymes ranged from 11.3 to 167.5 unit/mg with the rank activity

orders of F2 > F1 > F5 > F6 > F3 > F4. The fibrinolytic

activities of the six fractions on the fibrin plates ranged from 20.8 to

207.2 unit/mg with rank orders of F6 > F2 > F5 > F3 > F1 >

F4. The molecular weights of each iso-enzyme, as estimated by SDS-PAGE,

were 24.6 (F1), 26.8 (F2), 28.2 (F3), 25.4 (F4), 33.1 (F5), and 33.0 kDa

(F6), respectively. The plasminogen was activated into plasmin by the

enzymes. The optimal temperature of the six iso-enzymes was 50 degrees C,

and the optimal pH ranged from pH 4-12. The four iso-enzymes (F1-F4) were

completely inhibited by PMSF. The two enzymes (F5 and F6) were completely

inhibited by aprotinin, TLCK, TPCK, SBTI, LBTI, and leupeptin. The

N-terminal amino acid (aa) sequences of the first 20 to 22 residues of

each fraction had high homology. All six iso-enzymes had identical aa

residues 2-3 and 13-15. The N-terminal 21-22 aa sequences of the F2, F3,

and F4 iso-enzymes were almost the same. The N-terminal aa sequences of

F5 and F6 were identical.

**

The next one is a weak study design, methodologically, but may suggest a

potential for future studies.

Jin L, Jin H, Zhang G, Xu G. Changes in coagulation and tissue

plasminogen activator after the treatment of cerebral infarction with

lumbrokinase. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2000;23(2-4):213-218.

Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai Medical University,

China.

This paper aimed to investigate the effect of lumbrokinase on the

anticoagulation and fibrinolysis in treating cerebral infarction.

Lumbrokinase was used in patients with cerebral infarction. Patients were

randomly divided into treatment group (n = 31) and control group (n =

20). Single blind method was used in this investigation. The Chinese

stroke score was used to evaluate the results of treatment before and

after administration of lumbrokinase. Kaolin partial thromboplastin time

(KPTT), prothrombin time (PT), fibrinogen content, vWF content were

analyzed, and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) activity, plasminogen

activator inhibitor (PAI) activity, D-dimer level were assayed. In both

groups, the stroke score decreased after administration, but in the

treatment group, it was more obvious. In the treatment group, KPTT was

prolonged, t-PA activity and D-dimer level increased, while the content

of fibrinogen decreased significantly. There were no significant changes

of PT and PAI activity in both groups. It is concluded that lumbrokinase

is beneficial to the treatment of cerebral infarction. The effect of

lumbrokinase is related to the inhibition of intrinsic coagulation

pathway and the activation of fibrinolysis via an increase of t-PA

activity.