Pomegranate extracts enhance bone formation and increase bone calcium content in mice.
In this research, fifty pregnant Balb/c mice were administered with either a vehicle, pomegranate juice extract (PJE), pomegranate husk extract (PHE), or a mixture of husk and juice extract (PME). On the 19th day of gestation, the embryos were stained to measure femur and tibia lengths and their ossification zones; the bone calcium content in the pregnant mice was also assessed. Apart from that, cells from fetal limb buds were cultured and exposed to various concentrations of PJE, PHE, or PME to study their impacts on cell proliferation and differentiation.
The findings from the study suggest the beneficial impact of pomegranate extracts on bone health. Mice treated with Pomegranate Juice Extract showed an increase in bone calcium content, a crucial component of bone health. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with all types of extracts resulted in significant enhancements in embryo femur length and the osteogenesis index, indicating improved bone formation. The cellular studies also revealed a greater number of viable cells, more cartilage nodules, and increased diameters when exposed to the extracts, suggesting enhanced cell proliferation and differentiation rates and thus promoting bone development.
