More on Pomegranate

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Hi folks:

This study was mentioned here a few months ago. Pretty remarkable

results if they are confirmed:

" Pomegranate juice consumption for 3 years by patients with carotid

artery stenosis reduces common carotid intima-media thickness, blood

pressure and LDL oxidation.

Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, Nitecki S, Hoffman A, Dornfeld L,

Volkova N, Presser D, Attias J, Liker H, Hayek T.

The Lipid Research Laboratory, Rappaport Family Institute for

Research in the Medical Sciences, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa 31096,

Israel. aviram@...

Dietary supplementation with polyphenolic antioxidants to animals was

shown to be associated with inhibition of LDL oxidation and

macrophage foam cell formation, and attenuation of atherosclerosis

development. We investigated the effects of pomegranate juice (PJ,

which contains potent tannins and anthocyanins) consumption by

atherosclerotic patients with carotid artery stenosis (CAS) on the

progression of carotid lesions and changes in oxidative stress and

blood pressure. Ten patients were supplemented with PJ for 1 year and

five of them continued for up to 3 years. Blood samples were

collected before treatment and during PJ consumption. In the control

group that did not consume PJ, common carotid intima-media thickness

(IMT) increased by 9% during 1 year, whereas, PJ consumption resulted

in a significant IMT reduction, by up to 30%, after 1 year. The

patients' serum paraoxonase 1 (PON 1) activity was increased by 83%,

whereas serum LDL basal oxidative state and LDL susceptibility to

copper ion-induced oxidation were both significantly reduced, by 90%

and 59%, respectively, after 12 months of PJ consumption, compared to

values obtained before PJ consumption. Furthermore, serum levels of

antibodies against oxidized LDL were decreased by 19%, and in

parallel serum total antioxidant status (TAS) was increased by 130%

after 1 year of PJ consumption. Systolic blood pressure was reduced

after 1 year of PJ consumption by 21% and was not further reduced

along 3 years of PJ consumption. For all studied parameters, the

maximal effects were observed after 1 year of PJ consumption. Further

consumption of PJ, for up to 3 years, had no additional beneficial

effects on IMT and serum PON1 activity, whereas serum lipid

peroxidation was further reduced by up to 16% after 3 years of PJ

consumption. The results of the present study thus suggest that PJ

consumption by patients with CAS decreases carotid IMT and systolic

blood pressure and these effects could be related to the potent

antioxidant characteristics of PJ polyphenols.

PMID: 15158307 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] "

I don't like the use of the expression " ...... by up to ....... "

in the above abstract. It suggests a desire to exaggerate the

benefits. Why not just say " by an average if 15% " (or whatever the

number is)? Because of that wording I would classify this study

as 'interesting, but not to be taken seriously until confirmed', fwiw

Rodney.