Nattokinase is an enzyme extracted from natto, a soy-derived fermented food condiment popular in Japan, and is used in the preventative health field as a natural anti-coagulant and fibrinolysis enhancer. Due to this biological function, nattokinase has also been used to stabilize blood pressure. However, scientists from Taiwan claim to have discovered a new role for nattokinase, namely as a possible defense against the threat of Alzheimer’s disease.
Amyloids (deposits of fibrous proteins and fibrils) cluster together to form plaques outside the neurons of the brain – particularly in the cortex – and can lead to the death of such neurons from oxidative stress. This is closely associated with an increased loss of cognitive function and a heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
In this in-vitro study, the scientists examined nattokinase’s effects on three types of fibrils that comprise amyloid plaques: A-beta-40 fibrils, linked to Alzheimer's; insulin fibrils, linked to diabetic complications; and prion peptide fibrils, responsible for prion diseases. The result: nattokinase was found to be effective in degrading all three types of fibrils, thus demonstrating a potential capacity to clear the plaques that these fibrils can form. This led the scientists to conclude that “since natto has been ingested by humans for a long time, it would be worthwhile to carry out an epidemiological study on the rate of occurrence of various amyloid-related diseases in a population regularly consuming natto.”
Source: Hsu RL, Lee KT, Wang JH, Lee LY, Chen RP. Amyloid-degrading ability of nattokinase from Bacillus subtilis natto. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Jan 28;57(2):503-8.
For more information see Nattokinase and Nattokinase Ultra
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