Can the content of Boluoke® capsules be emptied out and taken without the capsules?

The capsules used in Boluoke® are acid-resistant capsules. They are designed to resist stomach acid and dissolve in the small intestines, because lumbrokinase may be inactivated by stomach acid. Preliminary coagulation tests using Sonoclot® machine (manufactured by Sienco, Inc.) indicate that Boluoke® is still effective when taken without the capsules on an empty stomach. However, it is highly recommended that the patients take Boluoke® in its original capsulated format whenever possible.

How long before surgery should patient stop taking Boluoke®?

The conservative approach is to stop Boluoke® 1 week prior to surgery. The patient may resume taking Boluoke® 15 days after surgery if there is no complication, or earlier if the physician deems appropriate. Some physicians may recommend certain high-risk patients to start or resume Boluoke® immediately post surgery.

Can Boluoke® be safely taken with aspirin?

Boluoke® has been shown to be safe when taken with aspirin in clinical studies (Wang XL, Yan DC. 2000; Wang H, Yan DC, et al. 2000). However, patients should consult with their physicians before taking Boluoke® with aspirin or other NSAIDs.

Can Boluoke® be used on pregnant women?

Teratogenicity studies of Boluoke® on animals showed no effect on pregnancy weight, fetal growth, abortion rate, still birth rate, and fetal resorption rate in mice compared to the placebo group. There was also no birth defect detected. However, pregnant patients should not take Boluoke® unless it is done under a physician’s approval and supervision.

What are the contra-indications for taking Boluoke®?

Contra-indications for Boluoke® are: allergy to lumbrokinase or earthworm; recent surgery; pre-surgery; lumbar puncture or arterial puncture; trauma; high risk aneurysm; active internal bleeding or GI ulceration; any other bleeding disorders/tendencies. People who are taking any anti-coagulants (e.g. heparin, warfarin, dabigatran) or anti-platelet drugs (e.g. aspirin, Plavix or Ticlid) should consult their physicians before taking Boluoke®.

Does Boluoke® have any side effects?

The earthworm has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for a few thousand years, and is considered to be one of the safest medicines in the traditional pharmacopoeias. In one of the largest clinic trial of Boluoke® involving 16 hospitals and 1560 patients in China, the overall adverse reaction rate was 1.92% (30 cases). 0.58% had skin itching, 0.19% had skin rash, and 1.15% had nausea or diarrhea; no hemorrhage or major side effect was reported.  

Can Boluoke® be taken with other enzyme products?

There is a theoretical possibility that Boluoke® may be cleaved and rendered ineffective by other proteolytic enzymes, so we currently do not recommend taking Boluoke® with another proteolytic enzyme product. If you do have to take another proteolytic enzyme product, please take Boluoke® on an empty stomach first, and then take the other enzyme product 30 minutes later. ny effect in helping Peyronie’s disease. Knowing the mechanisms of Boluoke®, it is unlikely that it will be helpful for Peyronie’s disease, thus it is not recommended for those patients.

Can Boluoke® be used to help lower cholesterol?

There is some evidence indicating that lumbrokinase may have a mild cholesterol lowering effect. However, we believe there are other more effective ways to lower cholesterols. Thus, Boluoke® should not be recommended for cholesterol lowering purpose, but for the overall health of the circulatory system.

Can Boluoke® be used to replace coumadin?

Boluoke® is a nutraceutical product and should not be used to replace warfarin. However, if a patient refuses to take warfarin or new anti-coagulant as recommended, then the physician shall find the best alternative for the patient. Regardless what agent the physician decides on, the patient should be properly monitored. If Boluoke® was chosen as the alternative, the patient should be checked for alpha-2-anti-plasmin, prothrombin fragment 1+2, thrombin/antithrombin complex, and soluble fibrin monomer on a regular basis to make sure the thromboembolism risk is being managed well. A discussion with specialized coagulation lab as to what might be the best way to monitor the patient’s status is highly recommended.

What is the suggested protocol for taking Boluoke®?

Boluoke® is best taken under a physician’s guidance in accordance to the patient’s individual condition. For most chronic conditions and maintenance, 1 capsule once to three times daily on empty stomach should be sufficient. In acute conditions and severe hypercoagulable states, Boluoke® should be dosed at 2 capsules three times daily on an empty stomach for 3 to 6 weeks or as long as the doctor recommends.

How quickly does Boluoke® start to act on the body and how to best maintain the maximal effect?

Pharmacokinetic studies showed that the fibrinolytic effect of Boluoke® kicks in about 3 hours and peaks at 6-8 hours after oral administration. At about 12 hours after oral dosing, the fibrinolytic activity is back to baseline level. Thus, the best way to obtain and maintain maximal benefit from Boluoke® is to take each dose about 8 hours apart.