Effects Of Pomegranate Peel Extract Research Articles

Pomegranate peel extract alters the microbiome in mice and dysbiosis caused by Citrobacter rodentium infection.

Treatment of mice with a pomegranate peel extract (PPX) decreased the pathogenicity of Citrobacter rodentium (Cr) infections. Here, we investigate the effects of PPX on the microbiome of uninfected or Cr‐infected C3H/HeNCr mice by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Mice were treated with water or PPX for 14 days, feces were collected, and then, the mice were infected with Cr and feces collected again at day 6 postinfection. DNA was isolated from the fecal samples and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing to determine the microbial composition. Differences in the composition of the microbiome were observed for untreated and PPX‐treated mice with PPX mice having decreased diversity. PPX treatment decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio by increasing Bacteroidetes and decreasing Firmicutes levels. The decrease in Firmicutes was driven by a large reduction in Lactobacillus. PPX treatment increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobiae and decreased Actinobacteria. The relative abundance of Cr reached 22% in water‐treated but only 5% in PPX‐treated infected mice. These results suggest that consumption of pomegranate polyphenols altered the microbiome, making it more resistant to displacement by infection with Cr, indicating that pomegranate polyphenols may mitigate the pathogenic effects of food‐borne bacterial pathogens.

The Comparative Effect of Pomegranate Peel Extract and Dapagliflozin on Body Weight of Male Albino Wistar Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Sodium Glucose Co-Transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor is the second line of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment. From in silico and in vitro studies, ellagic acid in pomegranate fruits has a similar effect to the SGLT2 inhibitor. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on body weight (BW) of male rats with T2DM. Male Albino Wistar rats, which aged 8 weeks and weighed 150-200 g were induced with single dose of 230 mg/kgBW nicotinamide and 65 mg/kgBW streptozotocin intraperitoneally. The control group consisted of 14 rats with T2DM and randomly divided into the negative control (NC) and the positive control (PC) treated with 0.18 mg/kgBW/day dapaglifozin. Twenty one rats with T2DM were divided into 3 treatment groups (T1-3) and given with 50, 100, and 200 mg/kgBW/day PPE respectively for 14 days. Collected data were analyzed using ANOVA and LSD post hoc tests with p value <0.05. The mean fasting blood glucose levels of all rat groups were 262.04±4.24 mg/dL and the mean BW was 182.86±4.75 g after induction. After 7 days treatment, the mean BW in T1 (188.14±6.40), T2 (186.85±4.94) and T3 (189.85±5.95) groups were significantly higher than that of in the NC group (179.14±3.02) but only the mean BW in the T3 group significantly different from the PC group (184.00±6.40; p = 0.034). The same results were also observed in 14 days treatment. Administration of PPE is able to resume BW in rats model with T2DM, better than dapaglifozin.

MicroRNA-33a and MiR-34a as a Molecular Targets for Pomegranate Peel Extract During Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Rats.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, has been considered the most common liver disease nowadays. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of pomegranate peel extract on the experimental rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLD) and to explore the role of mir-33a and mir-34a as the molecular targets for these therapeutic effects.Fifty male albino Wistarrats were used in the present study. The NAFLD was induces in rats using high fat diet (HFD). The pomegranate peel extract (PPE) was used in different doses (50,100 and 150) for 30 days.The present study documents the ameliorating effects of PPE on hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, lipid profile and liver functions in NAFL rats in a dose-dependent manner compared to untreated rats.The ameliorating effects on the metabolic parameter are associated with significant correction in the hepatic expression of MiR-33a and MiR-34ain a dose-dependent manner. From the present study we can concluded that the PPE have efficient anti-steatotic effect which may be mediated through modulation of MiR-33a and MiR-34.

Pomegranate Peel Extract Alters the Microbiome in Mice and Dysbiosis Caused by Citrobacter Rodentium Infection (P20-043-19)

ObjectivesWe previously showed that a pomegranate peel extract (PPX) reduced the pathogenicity of a Citrobacter rodentium (Cr) infection, an E. coli-like organism that infects mice and mimics many aspects of pathogenic E coli infections in humans. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of PPX on the microbiome of uninfected and Cr-infected mice to determine if changes to the microbiome was associated with reduced pathogenicity. MethodsTo evaluate the effect of PPX on the microbiome, mice were treated with water or PPX for 14 days and feces collected for analysis. In a second experiment, mice were treated with PPX for 14 days, feces collected, the mice infected with Cr and feces collected again at day 6 post-infection. Colon tissue was collected at day 12 post-infection for determining Cr load and histological analyses. DNA was isolated from the fecal samples and subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing to determine the microbial composition. ResultsPPX treatment decreased the extent of Cr-induced colon damage. Differences in the composition of the microbiome were observed for untreated and PPX-treated mice with PPX mice having decreased diversity. PPX treatment decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio by increasing Bacteroidetes and decreasing Firmicutes levels. The decrease in Firmicutes was driven by a large reduction in Lactobacillus. PPX-treatment increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and Verrucomicrobiae and decreased Actinobacteria. The relative abundance of Cr reached 22% in water-treated but only 5% in PPX-treated infected mice while the absolute numbers of Cr were similar between the two groups and this may have contributed to the reduced pathology in PPX-treated Cr-infected mice. ConclusionsPPX-treatment altered the microbiome making it more resistant to displacement by infection with Cr, thus reducing the percentage of the total microbiome that Cr occupied and this correlated with reduced colon pathology. These results show that the pomegranate peel contains compounds that have the potential to alter the host microbiome and pathology induced by an important class of food-borne enteric bacteria. Funding SourcesUSDA Agricultural Research Service.

Beneficial Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract and Probiotics on Pre-adipocyte Differentiation.

The beneficial effects of pomegranate are due to the ellagitannins and anthocyanins content, which are protective toward a wide variety of diseases including inflammatory diseases. Many investigators have reported that pomegranate waste (peel and seeds) extracts, made from waste product of industrial processing, show free radical scavenger and a potent antioxidant capacity. Pomegranate extracts (PEs) were also reported to possess noteworty antibacterial, antiviral, hypolipidemic, and anti-inflammatory bioactivities thanks to the polyphenolic compounds content, which includes punicalagins, gallic acid, and ellagic acid derivatives. The focus of the present manuscript was to study the prebiotic potentiality of a PE, soluble in water, and characterized through HPLC–PDA–ESI/MSn for its phenolic content. Moreover, since it has been reported that pomegranate extracts decreased the level of lipids in the blood and that a number of probiotic strains have been shown to affect adipogenesis in cell culture, this study was also performed to test the in vitro effects of PE and probiotic L. rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 strain (LGG) on 3T3-L1 cell line. PE and probiotics substantially reduced the triglyceride content and intracellular lipid increase, compared to the control group. However, the combination treatment of PE and LGG filtered spent broth (SB) was the most effective in reducing triglyceride content and intracellular lipid accumulation. The mRNA expression levels of the main transcriptional factors implicated in adipocyte differentiation were substantially lower in 3T3-L1 cells treated with PE and LGG filtered SB. These results evidenced that a synergistic effect of probiotics and polyphenols contained in PE may affect in vitro adipogenesis and may contribute in development of new nutraceutical/probiotic-based remedies to prevent and to treat obesity.

Effects of pomegranate peel extract on quality and microbiota composition of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) fillets during chilled storage

This study aimed to investigate effects of aqueous pomegranate peel extract (APPE) and ethanolic pomegranate peel extract (EPPE) on microbiota and changes in quality of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) fillets stored at 4 °C. The results showed that pomegranate peel extract (PPE, which includes both APPE and EPPE) retarded the deterioration of sensory quality and flesh color, inhibited the growth of spoilage bacteria, and attenuated the production of biogenic amines, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and the degradation of ATP-related compounds. Moreover, EPPE performed better in color attributes and biogenic amines, but APPE was more effective in retarding the increase of TVB-N and K-value. High-throughput sequencing results showed that microbial composition of all samples became less diverse as storage time increased. For the control group, Acinetobacter was predominant in the middle-period of storage, while Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, and Shewanella became predominant at the end of storage. Additionally, PPE decreased the relative abundance of Acinetobacter in the middle-period of storage, and thus changed the microbial composition. Based on our assessments of quality and microbial analysis, PPE prolonged the shelf-life of bighead carp fillets for about 2 days, and it has the potential to become a promising preservative in aquatic products.

Application of pomegranate peel extract and essential oil as a safe botanical preservative for the control of postharvest decay caused by Penicillium italicum and Penicillium digitatum on “Satsuma” mandarin

AbstractThere is a growing interest in using natural antifungal compounds for the preservation of foods. The first experiment of this study was investigated an effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) and the essential oil (PPEO) in different concentrations mixed with potato dextrose agar (PDA) on spore germination of Penicillum italicum and Penicillum digitatum. in vivo experiments were focused on the treatments offering potential antifungal and antioxidant benefits. Preventive treatments were performed by dipping wounded fruit into the specific concentrations of extract and thereafter, each wound site was infected by inoculating 20 μL of the inoculum of P. italicum or P. digitatum. For curative treatments, fruit were wounded as above, and then inoculated with P. italicum or P. digitatum. Even though data showed no significant differences between PPEO treatments, PPE at 100 and 125 ppm elicited significantly lower spore germination under in vitro conditions compared to the other treatments. The results showed that 75% or/and 100% PPE reduced infected wound percentage and lesion diameter and increased total phenolic, flavonoid compounds content, and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase activity in “Satsuma” mandarin rind. The tested PPE can be effectively utilized for controlling and curing infections caused by P. italicum and P. digitatum.Practical applicationsThe results obtained in this research could be advantageously used by industry as a request of consumer demand for pesticide‐free food. The results indicate that it is possible to substitute the synthetic compounds with preservatives safer for man and environment.

Comparative evaluation of the effect of pomegranate peel extract and chlorhexidine 0.2% mouthwash on salivary pH in children between 6 and 8 years of age: An in vivo study

Background: Dental caries is chronic infectious disease affected by diet and cariogenic microorganisms. Streptococcus mutans is associated with the initiation of caries, and lactobacilli are associated with disease progression. Chlorhexidine is used as a gold standard mouthwash, but it has some side effects such as unpleasant taste and staining on long-term use. Hence, there is a need for alternative to chlorhexidine. Herbal mouthwashes are more excellent option to chemical mouthwashes for prolonged use. Pomegranate is one of them with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of pomegranate peel extract and chlorhexidine mouthwash on salivary pH in 6–8 years of age children. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients between the age group of 6–8 years fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. Children were divided into two groups randomly. Fifteen children were given chlorhexidine mouthwash and 15 were given pomegranate peel extract and asked to rinse for it 2 min. Saliva was collected before the mouth rinse, 10, 30, and 60 min after the mouthrinse. The pH of each collection was noted using pH meter. Statistical Analysis: Statistical analysis was done using the ANOVA test and unpaired t-test. Results: Both the mouthwashes show significant rise in the salivary pH in shortened time. Conclusion: Pomegranate peel extract mouth rinse can be used as an accompaniment to prevent caries and to maintain good oral hygiene in children.

Enhanced properties of silver carp surimi-based edible films incorporated with pomegranate peel and grape seed extracts under acidic condition

Abstract The study aims to investigate the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PGPE) and grape seed extract (GSE) at acidic pH. Surimi-based edible films incorporated with pomegranate peel extract (PGPE) and grape seed extract (GSE) at different concentrations (2%, 4% and 6% w/w protein content) under acidic condition were characterized. In extract-containing films, elongation at break (EAB) and film solubility (FS) decreased, as well as water vapor permeability (WVP) and transparency while tensile strength (TS) (P

Study of the effect of sodium alginate coating containing pomegranate peel extract on chemical, sensory and microbial quality of walnut kernel

Background: Due to the adverse effects of artificial preservatives on food and its harmful effects on human health, researchers have been considering replacing these materials with natural substances. In this study, the effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on the stability and antifungal activity of the walnut kernel was studied. Methods: The pomegranate peel was extracted by the solvent and water-solvent method. The extracted sap was evaluated using the antioxidant assay by 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The results showed that the extracted sap had 40.11 mg/g dry phenol and 47.27% free radicals scavenging. Four concentrations (0%, 2%, 6%, and 10%) of pomegranate liquid extract were prepared and studied for 90 days for the walnut kernel coating. Walnut kernels were coated on days 1, 15, 30, 60, and 90, and examined for moisture, acidity, peroxide, conjugated diene, and anisidine tests. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: By increasing the extract concentration from 2 to 10%, the stability of the walnut kernel during storage was increased. Acidity in the samples with 10% PPE coating, decreased from 0.18 to 0.11 on the first day until the 15th day, and increased to 0.48 from day 15 to 90. The results showed that the moisture content and acidity increased with increasing the extract concentration. By increasing the extract concentration up to 10%, the sustainability indices, including peroxide, anisidine, and conjugated diene were significantly decreased. At 90 days, by increasing the concentration of pomegranate extract from 2% to 10%, the count of molds and yeasts was reduced from 3.59 to 2.29 CFU/g. The count of molds and yeasts in the uncoated samples was 5.81 CFU/g. Conclusion: According to the results, PPE can increase the stability and antifungal activity of walnut, therefore, the health quality of the product increases.

Enhancing antioxidant capacity of Lactobacillus acidophilus-fermented milk fortified with pomegranate peel extracts

Both polyphenols and probiotics have beneficial effects on the human body, so it might be beneficial to develop new functional-enhanced food products containing both components. This study investigated the interactions between pomegranate peel polyphenols and Lactobacillus (L.) acidophilus in milk fermentation. There was no inhibitory effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on the growth of L. acidophilus, suggesting that PPE at < 2% (w/v) did not affect cell viability during milk fermentation. On the other hand, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in the hydrophilic fraction of fermented milk increased after L. acidophilus fermentation, likely due to the effects of the fermentation. Meanwhile, 13 different phenolic compounds were identified based on LC-MS/MS analysis in L. acidophilus-fermented milk fortified with PPE. L. acidophilus and polyphenolic extracts could co-exist in the same food system with enhanced antioxidant capacity. Hence, it might be feasible to develop new polyphenol-enriched food products, such as fermented milk to provide enhanced health benefits.

Pomegranate peel extract inhibits expression of β-catenin, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and metastasis in triple negative breast cancer cells

The standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is chemotherapy, which is highly toxic to patients; thereby, there is a need to identify safer and more effective therapeutic approaches. Medicinal plants constitute a common alternative for cancer treatment. Pomegranate is a well-known fruit in this context, but its antimetastatic property has not been extensively studied. As breast cancer-related deaths from TNBC are mainly due to metastasis, the present study was designed to investigate the antimigratory effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) on TNBC cells. For this purpose, the MDA-MB-231 cells were treated with different concentrations of PPE for 24, 48 and 72 hr. The effects of PPE on cell migration and invasion were determined by wound healing and transwell assays. To address the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the antimetastatic effect of PPE, real-time quantitative PCR analysis of selected epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were performed. Moreover, the expression of β-catenin as a critical factor in promoting cancer metastasis was examined. PPE markedly inhibited the migration and invasion of cells at concentrations of 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000µg/ml. At relatively high concentrations (500, 1000µg/ml), PPE induced apoptosis. Moreover, PPE decreased the gene expression of vimentin, ZEB1, and β-catenin and also increased the expression of E-cadherin in TNBC cells. The protein level of β-catenin, as measured using western analysis, revealed a time-dependent decrease at the concentration of 1000µg/ml PPE. Downregulation of EMT markers and β-catenin showed accordance with the inhibition of migration and invasion. The present data show that PPE could be a promising drug candidate to reduce metastasis in TNBC cells.

Effect of pomegranate peel extract on shelf life of strawberries: computational chemistry approaches to assess antifungal mechanisms involved.

In Italy Botrytis cinerea represents the most significant disease in strawberry crops and causes major quality and quantity losses in postharvest storage. An alternative strategy to the synthetic fungicides in crop defence could be the use of bioactive compounds with high antifungal activity. This research regards the use of Punica granatum peel extract to extend the shelf life of strawberry and the proposal of a possible mechanism for its antifungal activity. In vitro and in vivo tests showed the ability of pomegranate peel extract to control strawberry gray mould. Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy showed a high correlation between spectra and disease severity then, a putative molecular mechanism for the interaction of punicalagin on ergosterol of fungal membrane was described by means of computational chemistry approaches. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed by using Gromacs to gain multiconformational representations of either punicalagin and an antifungal compound of clinical relevance, i.e. amphotericin B. The use of grid-based procedures, allowed to shed some light on the molecular mechanism featuring the antifungal activity of punicalagin.

Characterization and Antifungal Activity of Pomegranate Peel Extract and its Use in Polysaccharide-Based Edible Coatings to Extend the Shelf-Life of Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.)

Effect of pomegranate peel extract (PPE) in two polysaccharide-based edible coatings namely chitosan and alginate on capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) was studied during storage at 10 °C. The characterization of PPE confirmed the presence of polyphenols such as punicalagin, catechin, and rutin. PPE also demonstrated antifungal activity against the fungal strain of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Incorporation of PPE in chitosan coating recorded significant (P < 0.05) retention of physiological loss in weight, firmness, color, and ascorbic acid in the samples as compared to the control. The restricted losses in total chlorophyll were found to be 22, 29, 38, and 48 in the samples coated with PPE-enriched chitosan, chitosan alone, PPE-enriched alginate, and alginate alone respectively as compared to higher loss of around 71% in control samples during storage. The addition of PPE in these two coatings could also inhibit the microbial growth, maintain sensory scores, and extend the shelf-life up to 25 days at 10 °C.

Protective effect of Pomegranate Peel Extract against Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2- NPs) -induced neurotoxicity in rats

Background: Although the wide applications of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs), little is known about their neurotoxic effects. The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is an emerging regulator of cellular resistance to oxidants. Nrf2 controls the expression of an array of antioxidant response enzymes such as NAD (P) H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1). Objectives: We aimed to study the effect of Pomegranate Peel Extract (PPE) on cerebral Nrf2/NQO1 signaling in TiO2-NPs-induced neurotoxicity. Methods: Forty male albino rats were distributed into four groups (n=10): control group, TiO2-NPs group: rats received oral dose of TiO2-NPs (500 mg/kg/day) on the 17th- 30th days, PPE group: rats received PPE (200 mg/kg/day orally) for 30 days, and PPE+ TiO2-NPs group: rats received PPE an hour before TiO2-NPs administration with the same doses. Results: The potent antioxidant effect of PPE was indicated by a significant increase of both Nrf2 and NQO1 mRNA expressions, GSH concentration and a significant decrease of INOS mRNA expression and MDA concentration. In coordination, dopamine, serotonin concentrations, acetyl cholinesterase and catalase activities returned back to normal. These results were confirmed by the histopathological findings which showed a severe degeneration, edema and congestion, extended in the brain tissue in TiO2-NPs and these features were improved with PPE administration. Conclusion: PPE is a potent antioxidant that can effectively increase the transcription of Nrf2 and NQO1 in TiO2-NPs induced brain toxicity.

Protective Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract on Paclitaxel Induced Primary Neuron Damage in Rats

terapotikler ile tedavisinin tedaviyi destekledigi ve daha guclu anti kanser etki olustugu gosterilmistir. Ancak nar kabugunun kanser kemoterapisine bagli gelisebilecek norotoksisiteye karsi nasil bir etki gosterecegi konusunda bir bilgi bulunmamaktadir. Calismamizda guclu antioksidan olan nar kabugunun sicanlarda paklitaksel ile induklenen primer noron hasarindaki etkilerini biyokimyasal ve molekuler analizler ile ortaya koymayi amacladik. Materyal ve Metot: Yeni dogan sican yavrularindan elde edilen primer noron hucre kulturunde paklitaksel toksisitesi induklendi. PPE 200, 300 ve 400 mg/ml dozlarinda koruyucu etki icin paklitakselden 2 saat once uygulandi. Bulgular: Hucre canliligi icin yapilan MTT analizinde paklitaksel 24 saat sonunda noron hasari olusturarak hucre canliligini azaltmistir. PPE ise tum dozlarda anlamli bir sekilde paklitaksel toksisitesini onleyerek hucre canliligini korumustur. PPE bu etkilerini oksidatif stresi azaltarak, antioksidan kapasiteyi artirarak ve ayni zamanda pro-inflamatuar sitokin olan TNF-α eksresyonunu ve apoptotik proteinler olan caspase 9 ve 3 ekspresyonunu baskilayarak ortaya koymustur. Sonuc: PPE antioksidan, anti-inflamatuar ve anti-apoptotik etkisi ile paklitaksele bagli gelisen primer noron hasarini onlemistir.

Ameliorative Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract and Some of its Bioactive Components against Hyperlipidemia-Induced Atherosclerosis in Male Rats

Ameliorative Effects of Pomegranate Peel Extract and Some of its Bioactive Components against Hyperlipidemia-Induced Atherosclerosis in Male Rats

Comparing pomegranate extract and chlorhexidine mouthwashes in treatment of recurrent intraoral herpes

Background/aim Herpes simplex virus is a frequently encountered contagious infectivity causing several diseases. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of pomegranate peel extract and chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwashes in the treatment of recurrent intraoral herpes (RIOH), a clinical form of herpes simplex virus infection. Patients and methods A total of 12 immunocompetent patients aged from 18 to 35 years with RIOH lesions affecting their keratinized mucosa were selected. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: group I (pomegranate group, n=6) was treated using pharmacologically prepared pomegranate peel extract mouthwash and group II (CHX group, n=6) was treated using CHX mouthwash. Both treatment modalities were used three times per /day for 10 days. Pain and erythema scores were recorded at 2, 4, 6, and 8 days from baseline in both study groups to assess the effect of mouthwashes used. Results Pain and erythema scores showed statistically significant decrease by time in both groups. A higher mean score was recorded in group II, with statistically significant difference in pain scores, but this difference did not reach the level of significance as regarding the erythema score. The percentage of change in both pain and erythema scores revealed better and superior improvement in group I than group II. Conclusion Pomegranate peel extract mouthwash was more effective in reducing pain and accelerating wound healing when compared with CHX as topical treatment for RIOH.

Effects of pomegranate peel extract on histopathology, testosterone levels and sperm of testicular torsion-detorsion induced in adult Wistar rats.

no ischemia, received vehicle alone, exposed to sham operation. Experimental (1): Received the vehicle alone during ischemia followed by 60 days' reperfusion. Experimental (2): After performing ischemia reperfusion, 500 mg/kg of pomegranate peel extract has been used for 60 days. Blood samples and sperm samples were collected. Testes were harvested and stained with haematoxylin and eosin to study the structure of seminiferous tubules. Results The statistical comparison between sperm count and their viability and testosterone hormone amount showed a significant difference between control and experimental (1) groups and control and experimental (2) groups. The results showed an improvement of morphological condition of seminiferous tubules. Conclusions Pomegranate peel extract has revealed desirable changes on the effective parameters in infertility.

The extract from Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel induces apoptosis and impairs metastasis in prostate cancer cells

Prostate cancer is a big threat to male for its poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Natural compounds are important resources of many anticancer drugs. Pomegranate is a kind of antioxidant-rich fruit and its peel and seed has potential anticancer activities. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of pomegranate peel extract (PoPx) on the apoptosis and metastasis of prostate cancer cells and the related mechanism. We found that PoPx showed growth inhibition on prostate cancer cells. Nuclei morphological and flow cytometer (FCM) analysis indicated that PoPx could induce prostate cancer apoptosis. Further investigation indicated that mitochondrial mediated intrinsic pathway is involved in the apoptosis. Exposure to PoPx led to loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δym), accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Western blot analysis showed that PoPx could increase the expression ratio of Bax/Bcl2 and activation of apoptosis executor caspase 3. Wound healing assay and transwell migration and invasion assay implied that PoPx has the potential to inhibit migration and invasion, two critical steps in prostate cancer metastasis. Downregulation of MMP2/MMP9 and upregulation of TIMP2 showed accordance with the inhibition of migration and invasion. In summary, the present data showed that PoPx could be a promising drug candidate to treat prostate cancer, showing us a better way to develop novel drugs from natural compounds.