Nattokinase is an enzyme naturally found in natto, a fermented soybean food eaten in Japan for centuries as a health food. It was not until the most recent decades that scientists started to decode the medical potential of its most bioactive constituent—nattokinase.
What’s great about nattokinase is that it can be used as a natural “blood thinner.” Nattokinase breaks up fibrin, the protein that causes blood to clot. This makes nattokinase a great potential big player in preventing potentially life-threatening conditions like stroke, heart attack, and deep vein thrombosis. Beyond clot prevention, studies also show that nattokinase can:
- Lower blood pressure by improving the health of blood vessels.
- Reduce cholesterol and fat levels, preventing heart disease.
- Fight inflammation, linked with chronic diseases.
- Support brain health, with potential benefits for conditions like Alzheimer’s.
- Strengthen the immune system and offer potential for fighting some infections.
Researchers are now looking for methods to make nattokinase more economically. It’s most commonly prepared traditionally by fermenting soybeans with the help of a bacterium called Bacillus subtilis. But it’s limited in purity, yield, and safety. In order to counteract this, novel biotechnology strategies are being developed—such as genetic modification, microbial fermentation, and recombinant production. These developments enable mass production of nattokinase without increasing prices and sacrificing quality.
The review paper also addresses the “business side” of nattokinase. Because it’s growing in popularity, companies are looking for patents on different methods of making nattokinase, new therapeutic applications, and even more efficient delivery systems (e.g., capsules, powders, functional foods). This trend towards intellectual property is demonstrating just how valuable nattokinase is in the global market.
Overall, nattokinase is a unique bridge from traditional food information to modern biotech-mediated medicine. Its therapeutic potential to cure diverse leading disease conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, and inflammation makes nattokinase quickly shift from a specialty food enzyme to an actual force in future healthcare.
Full text can be found in: Tirth Chetankumar Bhatt, Viralkumar B. Mandaliya, Munir Ibrahim, Avani Bhimani, Asmita Detroja, Jaykumar Koradiya, Gaurav Sanghvi, Ashok Kumar Bishoyi, Multifaceted microbial enzyme nattokinase: a comprehensive review on therapeutics applications, production technologies and intellectual property landscape, Current Research in Biotechnology, Volume 10, 2025, 100316, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbiot.2025.100316.