1. Academic Validation
  2. Nattokinase: An Oral Antithrombotic Agent for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

Nattokinase: An Oral Antithrombotic Agent for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Feb 28;18(3):523. doi: 10.3390/ijms18030523.
Yunqi Weng 1 Jian Yao 2 Sawyer Sparks 3 Kevin Yueju Wang 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Emergency Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266005, China. wengyunqi@126.com.
  • 2 Emergency Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266005, China. yaojian2002@126.com.
  • 3 Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University at Broken Arrow, Broken Arrow, OK 74014, USA. sparks07@nsuok.edu.
  • 4 Department of Natural Sciences, Northeastern State University at Broken Arrow, Broken Arrow, OK 74014, USA. wang03@nsuok.edu.
Abstract

Natto, a fermented soybean product, has been consumed as a traditional food in Japan for thousands of years. Nattokinase (NK), a potent blood-clot dissolving protein used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, is produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis during the fermentation of soybeans to produce Natto. NK has been extensively studied in Japan, Korea, and China. Recently, the fibrinolytic (anti-clotting) capacity of NK has been recognized by Western medicine. The National Science Foundation in the United States has investigated and evaluated the safety of NK. NK is currently undergoing a clinical trial study (Phase II) in the USA for atherothrombotic prevention. Multiple NK genes have been cloned, characterized, and produced in various expression system studies. Recombinant technology represents a promising approach for the production of NK with high purity for its use in antithrombotic applications. This review covers the history, benefit, safety, and production of NK. Opportunities for utilizing plant systems for the large-scale production of NK, or for the production of edible Plants that can be used to provide oral delivery of NK without extraction and purification are also discussed.

Keywords

antithrombotic agent; cardiovascular disease; gene expression; nattokinase; oral; plant molecular farming.

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