An up-to-date review of biomedical applications of serratiopeptidase and its biobetter derivatives as a multi-potential metalloprotease.

Serratiopeptidase is a bacterial metalloprotease used in a variety of medical applications. The multidimensional properties of serratiopeptidase make it noticeable as a miraculous enzyme. Anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory and anti-biofilm activity of serratiopeptidase making it useful in reducing pain and swelling associated with various conditions including arthritis, diabetes, cancer, swelling, pain and also thrombolytic disorders. It breaks down fibrin, thins the fluids formed during inflammation and due to its anti-biofilm activity, can be used in the combination of antibiotics to reduce development of antibiotic resistance. However, some drawbacks like sensitivity to environmental conditions and low penetration into cells due to its large size have limited its usage as a potent pharmaceutical agent. To overcome such limitations, improved versions of the enzyme were introduced using protein engineering in our previous studies. Novel functional serratiopeptidases with shorter length and higher stability have seemingly created a hope for using this enzyme as a more effective therapeutic enzyme. This review explains the structural properties and functional aspects of serratiopeptidase, its main characteristics and properties, pre-clinical and clinical applications of the enzyme, improved qualities of the modified forms, different formulations of the enzyme, and the potential future developments.