Vasculoprotective Effects of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.)

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), one of the oldest known edible fruits, is nowadays broadly consumed throughout the world. Its fruits and seeds as well as other anatomical compartments (e.g., flowers and leaves) are rich in numerous bioactive compounds and therefore, the scientific interest in this plant has been constantly growing in recent years. It has been shown that pomegranate and its extracts exhibit potent antioxidative, antimicrobial, and anticarcinogenic properties. The present review summarizes some recent studies on pomegranate, highlighting mainly its vasculoprotective role attributed to the presence of hydrolyzable tannins ellagitannins and ellagic acid, as well as other compounds (e.g., anthocyanins and flavonoids). These in vitro and in vivo studies showed that substances derived from pomegranate reduce oxidative stress and platelet aggregation, diminish lipid uptake by macrophages, positively influence endothelial cell function, and are involved in blood pressure regulation. Clinical studies demonstrated that daily intake of pomegranate juice lessens hypertension and attenuates atherosclerosis in humans. Altogether, the reviewed studies point out the potential benefits of a broader use of pomegranate and its constituents as dietary supplements or as adjuvants in therapy of vascular diseases, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and peripheral artery disease.

Effects of natural polyphenol-rich pomegranate juice supplementation on plasma ion and lipid profiles following resistance exercise: a placebo-controlled trial

“…Regarding the effect of POMj on lipid profile response, the significantly higher content of HDL-C at post training session following POMj supplementation compared to PLA confirm the potential improvement in cardiometabolic disease risk factors following POMj supplementation, as previously highlighted by Al-Dujaili et al [64,65] in healthy volunteers, and most importantly in vascular disease therapy [36,38]. Indeed, in patients with both diabetes and hyperlipidemia, the administration of 40 g concentrated POMj for 8 weeks was shown to decrease [TC], [LDL-C], LDL-C/HDL-C ratio and TC/ HDL-C ratio [66].…”

“…There is emerging evidence to suggest that dietary supplementation with food products rich in polyphenols might improve cardiometabolic risk factors such as hypertension and the lipid profile [35][36][37][38]. For example, pomegranate juice (POMj) contains abundant soluble polyphenolic antioxidant compounds and is recommended as a dietary intervention to confer cardioprotective / atheroprotective effects, including lowering TC and inhibiting LDL oxidation [37,38].…”

Targeting Foam Cell Formation in Atherosclerosis: Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products

“…Further study indicated that the black rice AC-rich extract (300 mg/kg body weight per day) inhibited the production of oxLDL and reduced the levels of TC and LDL-C, while upregulating the HDL-C level in serum from rats and ApoE 2/2 mice, and also narrowed the area of atherosclerotic plaque and improved the stability of plaque to prevent the occurrence of embolism (Xia et al, 2006). Moreover, the ACs derived from pomegranate reduced blood lipids and exhibited an antiinflammatory activity (Wang et al, 2018b). It was reported that pomegranate peel extract containing ACs (1 g/kg diet) has a slight effect on fatty streak formation and lipid metabolism in hypercholesterolemic rabbits (Sharifiyan et al, 2016).…”

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Fruits: Characterization of the Main Enzymatic Antioxidants (Peroxisomal Catalase and SOD Isozymes) and the NADPH-Regenerating System

“…Both pomegranate populations share the same isozyme profile but the activity of some of them was much higher in E-A seeds than in F-GR. In previous works, it was found that SOD activity was used as index of the cultivar and ripening stage, and it was described that this enzyme also participated in the response against diverse unfavorable conditions [14][15][16][17][18][19]55]. Recently, by iTRAQ analysis, the presence of a SOD from the Fe,Mn family has been reported [32], but no CuZn-SODs have been described so far.…”