Pomegranate Extract Lowers Oxidative Stress Marker

13 Nov 2014 --- Pomegranates may have more positive health benefits for people with hyperglycemia-mediated diseases than previously thought, according to the latest studies. Pomegranates have previously been well regarded for their ability to help blood sugar levels, but now at the University of Rhode Island, researchers have concluded that a pomegranate extract can lower AGEs (advanced glycation end products) in vitro.

AGEs are oxidative compounds that are found naturally in foods and increased by modern cooking techniques, such as grilling and frying. High levels of AGEs in the body can lead to inflammation, and they have been implicated in diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

To assess the efficacy of pomegranate extract against AGEs, researchers performed tests with Pomella, a standardized pomegranate extract from Verdure Sciences (Noblesville, IN). They then compared the extract to some of its key phenolic compounds—punicalagin, ellagic acid, and gallic acid—as well as an AGE-lowering drug called aminoguanidine.

Compared to the drug, pomegranate extract and its isolated constituents were all able to lower AGEs more effectively than the drug. The effect of punicalagin was actually more potent than pomegranate extract.

While pomegranate juice and extract are the most conventional ways of obtaining pomegranate nutrition, the researchers admit that these delivery forms sometimes just provide just small amounts of key pomegranate nutrients to the body. In the case of addressing high levels of AGEs in the body, preparations with standardized amounts of, say, punicalagin could provide a most effective approach.