PLANT PROTEASES, THEIR PROPERTIES AND THERAPEUTIC USE

Plant enzymes have a wide range of therapeutic activity and are characterized by minor side effects. Especially important are proteases that are actively used in medicine. They accumulate in a plant’s latex and are characterized by stability and high proteolytic activity. Among them, the most widely studied are the enzyme papain, which is obtained from the fruit of the unripe Papaya plant (Carica papaya) and bromelain from the stem and fruit of pineapple (Ananas comosus). There are different ways of isolating and purifying these enzymes, as well as various methods of chemical modification for their quality improvement. The present review article describes the characterization of plant proteases, various methods of their obtaining and modification, their therapeutic significance and the existing literature on the given topic.