Effect of pomegranate juice on Angiotensin II‐induced hypertension in diabetic wistar rats

Abstract

Acute subcutaneous administration of Angiotensin II (Ang II) causes a rise in blood pressure in diabetic Wistar rats. Diabetes was induced using streptozotocin (70 mg/kg, i.v.). Chronic administration of pomegranate juice (PJ) extract (100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg; p.o. for 4 weeks) obtained from Punica granatum (punicaceae) fruits reduced the mean arterial blood pressure and vascular reactivity changes to various catecholamines and also reversed the biochemical changes induced by diabetes and Ang II. PJ treatment also caused a significant decrease in levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in kidney and pancreas while activities of enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GSH) showed significant elevation. The cumulative concentration response curve (CCRC) of Ang II was shifted towards right in rats treated with PJ using isolated strip of ascending colon. In histopathological examination, PJ treatment prevented the tubular degenerative changes induced by diabetes. The results suggest that the PJ extract could prevent the development of high blood pressure induced by Ang II in diabetic rats probably by combating the oxidative stress induced by diabetes and Ang II and by inhibiting ACE activity. In conclusion, PJ has antihypertensive action in Ang II diabetic model.

Active Constituents of Pomegranates (Punica granatum) as Potential Candidates in the Management of Health through Modulation of Biological Activities

“…72 Other findings reported that pomegranate juice consumption decreased LDL susceptibility to aggregation and retention and increased the activity of serum paraoxonase. 73 Study research suggests that pomegranate juice exert beneficial effects on the evolution of clinical vascular complications, coronary heart disease, and atherogenesis in humans.…”

Anti-hypertensive medicinal plants and their mode of action

“…In the case of Moringa oleifera (Chen et al , 2012) and Punica granatum (Mohan et al , 2010), a significant rise in superoxide dismutase activity was observed in the extract treated group, indicating the role of anti-oxidant activity. Similarly an increase in anti-oxidant enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and catalase in red blood cells was observed after administration of Raphanus sativus extract (Chung et al , 2012) and reduction in aortic superoxide production in the case of Sesamum indicum (Nakano et al , 2002), which was suggested to be the reason for the observed decrease in SBP.…”

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Functional Foods are a Useful Adjunction to Antihypertensive Drug Treatment

“…Second, the reduction of ACE activity has been shown in diabetic wistar rats [3] and in humans; even after two weeks administration of PJ [4]. A 36% decrement in serum ACE activity was recorded and a dose-dependent inhibitory effect (31%) of PJ on serum ACE activity was observed also in vitro [4].…”

“…Moreover, it is the responsibility of the attending physician to explain to the hypertensive patient (mainly those with hypertension combined with diabetes, metabolic syndrome or smoking) that this is an adjunctive therapy on top of other no-pharmacological interventions or drug treatments for hypertension [2]. There are no data so far that functional foods compromise the adherence of the patient to antihypertensive drug treatment, if their utility is explained by the physician.Second, the reduction of ACE activity has been shown in diabetic wistar rats [3] and in humans; even after two weeks administration of PJ [4]. A 36% decrement in serum ACE activity was recorded and a dose-dependent inhibitory effect (31%) of PJ on serum ACE activity was observed also in vitro [4].…”