Bromelain
Bromelain is a mixture of protein-digesting enzymes from the fruit and stem of the pineapple plant.
Also listed as Pineapple extract
What it is studied for
The strongest rated effects first. Bars show the size of the effect, the letter grades the evidence, and each rating lists the studies behind it.
What is bromelain?
Bromelain is a mixture of protein-breaking enzymes from pineapple fruit and stem. Oral supplements and concentrated preparations applied to burns have different evidence and uses. 1 2
Why people take it
SuppCo community snapshot, 2026-09-28. Reasons for use are not evidence that it works.
Questions people ask
Does bromelain reliably reduce swelling?
Reviews after wisdom-tooth surgery disagree on swelling, although both reported some pain relief. Results should stay tied to that procedure. 3 4
Did it improve mouth opening?
The two cited 2019 reviews found no clear benefit for postoperative difficulty opening the mouth, called trismus. 3 4
Is the pineapple-extract trial a fruit recommendation?
No. It tested a standardized extract and purified bromelain against placebo, not fresh pineapple. 5
Does approval of the burn gel validate oral supplements?
No. EU authorization concerns the specific prescription preparation used to remove dead burn tissue under specialist care. 2
Related nutrients
PapainSources
- NexoBrid: European public assessment report European Medicines Agency