Introduction: Microglia, the sentries of the brain, are highly implicated in neurodegeneration as in neuroprotection. Chronic microglial activation endangers neuronal survival through the release of various potentially neurotoxic mediators including cytokines, chemokines and nitric oxide (NO). Thus, negative regulators of microglial activation have been considered as potential therapeutic candidates to target neurodegeneration, such as that in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases and even in chronic epileptic syndromes. LPS is an endotoxin from Gram-negative bacteria, which provokes inflammatory and immunological responses. Bromelain, a mixture of cysteine proteases, derived from pineapple stem (Ananas comosus), is known for its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Thus, we examined whether bromelain, as a natural plant extract, repress microglia activation and thereby confer neuroprotection against inflammation-related neuronal injury.

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