Fibrinolytic enzymes in Asian traditional fermented foods

Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke, are the leading causes of death in North America. According to data provided by the World Health Organization in 2000, heart diseases are responsible for 29% of the total mortality rate in the world. Since cardiovascular diseases have a major impact on an individual's quality of life, a tremendous amount of research has been done in the area of prevention and the treatment of the diseases. Fibrinolytic enzymes are agents that dissolve fibrin clots. Recently many food derived fibrinolytic enzymes have been found in various traditional Asian foods. Fibrinolytic enzymes can be found in a variety of foods, such as Japanese Natto, Tofuyo, Korean Chungkook-Jang soy sauce, and edible honey mushroom. Enzymes have been purified from these foods, and their physiochemical properties have been characterized. Fermented shrimp paste, a popular Asian seasoning, was shown to have strong fibrinolytic activity. These novel fibrinolytic enzymes derived from traditional Asian foods are useful for thrombolytic therapy. They will provide an adjunct to the costly fibrinolytic enzymes that are currently used in managing heart disease, since large quantities of enzyme can be conveniently and efficiently produced. In addition, these enzymes have significant potential for food fortification and nutraceutical applications, such that their use could effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases.