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Lee Swanson Research Update
Pomegranate Juice Shows Vascular Benefits
June 2005
Pomegranate juice showed cardiovascular benefits in both laboratory mice and in cultured human coronary artery endothelial cells, according to a study published online ahead of print in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org).
"Mice that drank pomegranate juice were able to significantly reduce the progression of atherosclerosis, [by] at least 30%," said study co-author Dr. Claudio Napoli, a professor of medicine and clinical pathology at the University of Naples School of Medicine in Italy.
Pomegranates, a native Middle Eastern fruit, are finding their way into more and more homes in the United States. The fruit contains crunchy seeds surrounded by juicy pulp and is a good source of potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Napoli and his colleagues tested the effects of pomegranate juice in mice that were bred to have high cholesterol and on human heart cells in culture.
Previous studies, according to Napoli, have suggested the antioxidants found in pomegranate juice might reduce plaque build-up on artery walls and reduce oxidative stress on endothelial walls, the cells that line blood vessels. These cells produce nitric oxide, a substance that helps the blood vessels relax.
Researchers found that heart cells treated with pomegranate juice had a 50% increase in nitric oxide production, and that mice given pomegranate juice reduced the rate of plaque build-up by about 30%. "The protective effects of pomegranate juice were higher than previously assumed," Napoli noted.
Napoli said that while it is hard to extrapolate data from mice to humans, an equivalent amount of pomegranate juice for humans would be the equivalent of about 16 ounces daily.
www.pnas.org
