Nattokinase: A new storm of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health care! Market prospect and scientific basis analysis

In 1980, Dr. Yoichi Suginami, a Japanese cardiovascular expert, accidentally added natto extract to a simulated blood clot during a thrombolytic drug experiment. To his astonishment, the clot dissolved by 2 centimeters within just three hours—— A conventional thrombolytic agent like urokinase would typically take nearly two days to achieve the same effect. The natto extract demonstrated a thrombolytic speed 19 times faster than urokinase. This serendipitous event, later known as the "Two and a Half O'Clock Experiment," officially marked the beginning of research on nattokinase as an efficient thrombolytic agent.

After a Japanese pharmaceutical company's researcher identified the potent thrombolytic component in natto, it was named "Nattokinase" (NK). This serine protease, produced by Bacillus subtilis natto during fermentation, consists of 275 amino acids arranged in a fixed sequence, with a molecular weight of 27,724 Daltons. Subsequent studies have further confirmed its health benefits. For instance, a collaborative study between Japan BioScience Research Institute Co., Ltd. and Yonsei University's Cardiovascular Disease Center in South Korea demonstrated that Nattokinase significantly reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, suggesting its potential importance in hypertension prevention and treatment.

Nattokinase has a variety of biological activities, the most prominent of which is its thrombolytic ability. Studies have shown that the fibrinolytic activity of nattokinase is 4 times that of fibrinolysin!

Nattokinase demonstrates a multifaceted thrombolytic mechanism: It stimulates vascular endothelial cells to produce tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), which converts plasminogen into plasmin to dissolve fibrin and directly break up blood clots. Simultaneously, it activates urokinase in the body, allowing both urokinase and t-PA to synergistically activate plasmin for clot dissolution. Unlike conventional thrombolytics that may hydrolyze plasma fibrinogen, nattokinase specifically targets fibrin—the main component of blood clots—thereby eliminating bleeding risks—a critical advantage in clinical applications. Additionally, nattokinase exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by inhibiting NADPH oxidase and NF-κκB signaling pathways, effectively reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and alleviating vascular inflammation.