Coordinated Immunomodulatory and Proliferative Effects of a Polyphenol – bromelain Combination in J774 Macrophages

Abstract

Polyphenols are a diverse family of plant secondary metabolites with well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Bromelain is a pineapple-derived cysteine protease with documented anti-inflammatory activity. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and proliferative effects of a plant-derived polyphenol-bromelain (PB) combination (SammyVit, Turkiye) on the murine macrophage cell line J774. Cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium and treated with PB at 1%, 2.5%, 5%, 10%, and 20%. Inflammatory responses were assessed by measuring interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels; oxidative balance was evaluated using total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Cell-cycle dynamics were analyzed by flow cytometry. PB significantly reduced IL-6, increased IL-10 and TAC, and elevated the proportion of cells in the S and G2/M phases, supporting enhanced proliferative activity. Collectively, the results indicate coordinated anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-proliferative actions consistent with suppression of redox-sensitive pathways and reinforcement of a repair-compatible macrophage phenotype. The data support further mechanistic dissection and motivate translational testing in primary human macrophages and relevant in vivo models.