Pomegranate supplementation attenuates inflammation, joint dysfunction via inhibition of NF‐κB signaling pathway in experimental models of rheumatoid arthritis

Karwasra R, Singh S, Sharma D, Sharma S, Sharma N, Khanna K · Journal of Food Biochemistry · 2019 June 17

Objective

To investigate, for first time, the inhibitory effect of pomegranate rind extract in established models of nociception and inflammation.

Conclusions

Henceforth, we might say that pomegranate (200 mg/kg) decline pain and inflammation by downregulating the activation of TNF-R1, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, NF-κB, oxidative stress markers, and tissue histology.

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Insights

Pomegranate rind extract has been found to decrease pain and inflammation, suggesting it could contribute to treating rheumatoid arthritis.

The researchers tested the effects of various doses of pomegranate rind extract on Wistar rats within established models of pain and inflammation, such as eddy's hot plate-induced algesia, carrageenan, and Complete Freund's adjuvant-induced models. Indomethacin was also evaluated for comparison. Researchers used bioactive compounds such as phenolics and flavanoids, both of which are known for their potent antioxidant activity. The results observed showed that a dose of 200 mg/kg of pomegranate led to a clear reduction in paw swelling in the rats in both inflammation models. The data further revealed an increase in pain threshold. Through these results, it was determined that pomegranate extract acts to reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting the activation of a number of inflammatory markers. Furthermore, this study presents the first report on the inhibitory mechanism of these markers by pomegranate rind extract, which is enriched with tannins and flavanoids.