(Linn.) Merrill
Family: Bromeliaceae.
Habitat: Native to South America; cultivated mostly in Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Tripura and Orissa.
English: Pineapple.
Ayurvedic: Anaanaasa, Bahunetra.
Unani: Anannaas.
Siddha/Tamil: Annanshippazham, Annasi.
Action: Anti-inflammatory (fresh juice used as a gargle for sore throat). A proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, is derived from the stem—anti-inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant, digester, inhibitor of blood platelet aggregation. (It is used for cellulitis, post-operative oedema, sinusitis and for promoting digestion of proteins.)
Key application: Bromelain, the proteolytic enzyme, is used in acute postoperative and post-traumatic conditions of swellings, especially of the nasal and paranasal sinuses. (German Commission E.) In Europe, a patented tape that contains bromelain is used for debriding escharotic skin. (Internally, bromelain's bioavailability has been questioned.)
Pineapple (Ananas comosus).Plant Part Used: Fruit, fruit rind.Dominican Medicinal Uses: Fruit: juice, taken orally as a diuretic for urinary tract or kidney disorders, cleansing the body internally, for treating bacterial infection, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, menopausal hot flashes; fruit rind: fermented in sugar and water for internally cleansing and refreshing the body.Safety: Commonly consumed as food; relatively nontoxic; repeated exposure can cause hypersensitivity.Contraindications: Caution advised during pregnancy due to possible abortifacient effects of plant steroids.Drug Interactions: For bromelain (protease enzymes from stem): antibiotics, tetracyclines (elevated drug serum levels), anticoagulants and thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors (increased bleeding).Laboratory & Preclinical Data: In vivo: antidiabetic, antioxidant, antidyslipidemic (ethanolic leaf extract); antifertility (unripe fruit juice); burn debridement (bromelain—stem enzymes); diuretic (root extract).In vitro: antitumor (bromelain—stem enzymes).* See entry for Piña in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... piña
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