Bioactive properties of commercialised pomegranate (Punica granatum) juice: antioxidant, antiproliferative and enzyme inhibiting activities

Abstract

Pomegranate juice and related products have long been used either in traditional20 medicine or as nutritional supplements claiming beneficial effects. Although there are21 several studies on this food plant, only few works have been performed with22 pomegranate juice or marketed products. The aim of this work is to evaluate the23 antioxidant effects of pomegranate juice on cellular models using hydrogen peroxide as24 an oxidizing agent or DPPH and superoxide radicals in cell free systems. The25 antiproliferative effects of the juice were measured on HeLa and PC-3 cells by the MTT26 assay and pharmacologically relevant enzymes (cyclooxygenases, xanthine oxidase,27 acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase A) were selected for enzymatic inhibition28 assays. Pomegranate juice showed significant protective effects against hydrogen29 peroxide induced toxicity in the Artemia salina and HepG2 models; these effects may30 be attributed to radical scavenging properties of pomegranate as the juice was able to31 reduce DPPH and superoxide radicals. Moderate antiproliferative activities in HeLa and32 PC-3 cancer cells were observed. However, pomegranate juice was also able to inhibit33 COX-2 and MAO-A enzymes. This study reveals some mechanisms by which34 pomegranate juice may have interesting and beneficial effects in human health.