There are more than 100 different diseases that are caused by the buildup of scar tissue in the lungs. Of these numerous interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), the most common is pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis begins when microscopic damage to the alveoli (air sacs) and interstitial tissues (tissue between cells) of the lungs causes inflammation and scar tissue to develop. As this scar tissue builds up in the lungs it eventually causes the soft, permeable tissue to become stiff and thick, which makes breathing extremely difficult.

 

Doctors and researchers have identified more than 140 different causes of the initial lung damage that leads to pulmonary fibrosis, ranging from illnesses like sarcoidosis and tuberculosis to inhaling asbestos and other damaging small particles. Even natural substances like mold or enzyme dust can irritate the lungs enough to lead to scar tissue development. Don’t be reluctant to use enzyme supplements for this reason. Enzyme supplements are absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system and will not irritate the lungs in this manner.

Still, in the majority of cases of pulmonary fibrosis the exact cause is unknown, which is what idiopathic means. One of the most popular theories is that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an autoimmune disease. This means that for some reason the body’s own immune system, which usually protects it from foreign threats like bacteria and viruses, attacks normal, healthy cells instead. The result is significant damage and destruction. In the case of pulmonary fibrosis, this means that the immune system attacks lung cells, destroying them and leaving behind scar tissue.

 

There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or IPF. However, the enzymes found in Neprinol have been shown to benefit patients in both hospital and real-world settings. This is because Neprinol targets a number of the disease-causing mechanisms responsible for the development and progression of IPF and other lung diseases.

 

Enzymes are commonly taken with food to help digest the protein, fats and sugars in the food plus increase absorption of nutrients from the food into the bloodstream. But when the enzymes in Neprinol are taken on an empty stomach, they circulate through the blood [1-3]. The enzymes break down potentially harmful things in the blood such as undigested food particles, toxic particles, dead cells and circulating immune complexes. Some of these things can cause infections so it is good to remove them. Circulating immune complexes are antibodies bound to foreign particles, like bacteria and viruses. These circulating immune complexes can cause autoimmune reactions, telling the body to start attacking its own cells.

 

Removing waste material from the bloodstream, while breaking up damaging, inflammation-causing circulating immune complexes calms down the immune system and helps reestablish the body’s natural balance. Using enzymes to modulate the immune system also allows the body to regain its energy levels, reducing fatigue and allowing for the proper repair of damaged lung tissue [4,5].

 

Another common feature of lung diseases is inflammation. Long-term inflammation can drastically slow down wound healing and increase the likelihood of scar tissue formation. Bromelain, an enzyme extracted from pineapples, can effectively block some of the body’s chemicals that promote and accelerate the process of inflammation [6-8]. Research has shown that bromelain is especially effective at decreasing the migration of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, to inflamed areas. One study measured a 50-85% decrease in neutrophil migration with the use of bromelain [9]. This is especially important in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/IPF since neutrophils are thought to be part of the disease-causing process [10]. That is because once neutrophils reach the site of inflammation, they produce a number of chemical substances that promote both lung injury and scar tissue formation [11].

 

Probably the most important mechanism Neprinol uses in the treatment of IPF and other ILDs is the breakdown of any existing scar tissue and the prevention of future scar formation. This relies on the fibrinolytic (fibrin-dissolving) properties of enzymes like nattokinase, an enzyme extracted from a popular Japanese fermented soybean food [12,13], and serrapeptase, an enzyme from silkworms [14].

 

Some fibrin is needed to help repair the damage done to the lung air sacs and other lung tissue, as it is a vital component of the wound healing process. However, long-term continued fibrin deposits in cases of long-term lung injuries like IPF can lead to the characteristic build up of scar tissue found in interstitial lung diseases.

 

Scar tissue becomes an issue when excess fibrin can’t be cleared from the lungs, and it blocks the ability of the lung air sacs to have oxygen pass through into the bloodstream [15]. This buildup of fibrin is thought to be due to the excessive amounts of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) identified in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) [16]. PAI-1 prevents the conversation of the protein plasminogen into plasmin, a blood enzyme that degrades many blood proteins, most notably, fibrin. Without plasminogen being converted into plasmin the body’s ability to naturally dissolve fibrin is drastically reduced.

 

The nattokinase found in Neprinol can help supplement the body’s natural fibrin-degrading enzymes, since it has fibrin-degrading activity that is four-times more potent than plasmin [17]. Nattokinase works to dissolve fibrin by inactivating PAI-1. By inactivating PAI-1, nattokinase can allow the excess fibrin to be broken down, which reduces the amount of scar tissue present. Obviously, with the scar tissue reduced or outright removed, the suffocating effects of ILDs will be eliminated as well.

 

Although the enzymes found in Neprinol are formulated to work throughout the body when taken on an empty stomach, their digestive properties may also benefit people with IPF.
 

Researchers have found that acid reflux disease may be a contributing factor in the development of IPF because stomach acid can cause scarring (buildup of fibrin) when it comes in contact with the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles of the lungs [18]. In other respiratory diseases like chronic cough or asthma, treating the acid reflux improves the respiratory symptoms. In fact, in one study asthma symptoms improved in 73% of the participants after a course of acid-suppressive therapy [19].

A common cause of acid reflux symptoms is a lack of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Therefore, the powerful digestive enzymes found in Neprinol, like bromelain and papain, can help dissolve proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the stomach and promote a healthy acidic environment.

 

Neprinol is not just beneficial for people with lung diseases caused by scar tissue. Its unique combination of protein-degrading enzymes can also help those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) break down and clear away the mucus that is clogging their lungs [20]. Both bromelain and serrapeptase have been shown to reduce the thickness of mucus and help clear it from the lungs, as well as suppressing coughs [8,21].

 

Smokers who take Neprinol may experience wheezing and increased phlegm production. The phlegm could also be yellow or bloody. As the enzyme action of Neprinol takes effect and begins to break down the scar tissue, it also has an expectorant effect, causing the fibrous tissue and tar from smoking to be coughed up and expelled from the lungs. The same issues may occur in people with frequent exposure to chemicals or toxins in the air, such as coal miners. It is great to get the scar tissue or built up toxins out of the lungs. For people that continue to get tar or toxins in their lungs daily due to smoking or work-related hazards, there will be a continuous process of the enzymes removing these hazards and therefore the possibility of continued wheezing or phlegm as long as they take Neprinol.

 

The fibrin-degrading and inflammation-reducing mechanisms of Neprinol can greatly help those suffering from lung diseases. Though Neprinol has not yet been tested in patients with these illnesses, there is a wealth of published research that provides proof-of-principle evidence for its benefits. Currently there are very few treatment options available to people with ILDs, IPF, COPD, asthma, chronic cough and other lung diseases. And the available medication often comes with unwanted side effects. Neprinol provides a non-invasive, natural and effective choice without the negative side effects.