A similar trend of increased PON1 protein association with HDL was observed in males following POMxl consumption, as after 4 weeks of POMxl consumption HDL-bound PON1 protein increased by 17% compared to baseline values. The above results were confirmed also in in vitro study where serum from diabetic patients was incubated with PJ or with punicalagin, or with no addition (control), for 2 hours at 37°C. Then, HDL was isolated from the serum by ultracentrifugation,

and Western blot analysis was Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical performed. After serum incubation with PJ (18μg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/mL) or with punicalagin, the protein content of HDL-bound PON1 significantly increased by 36% and by 14%, respectively, as compared to control serum. Upon increasing the concentration of PJ or punicalagin up to 36μg GAE/mL, HDL-bound PON1 protein further increased, and it was 62% or 83% higher than that observed in control Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical patients’ serum (no PJ), respectively. Figure 3. The effect of PJ consumption by diabetic males on their HDL-associated Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical PON1 activities. We thus conclude that PJ as well

as POMxl consumption by diabetic patients contributes to PON1 stabilization by increasing its association with HDL and therefore enhancing PON1 find more catalytic activities. The ratio between HDL-associated PON1 and free PON1 gradually decreased as the extent of HDL oxidation increased. The antioxidants vitamin E or PJ inhibited the oxidation-mediated Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical redistribution of PON1 in serum. Indeed, PJ and its purified major polyphenols punicalagin, gallic acid, and ellagic acid all increased PON1 binding also to HDL.33 Furthermore, PON1 associated more efficiently with HDLs isolated from diabetic patients after PJ consumption

versus the patients’ HDL isolated Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical prior to PJ consumption.33 THE INHIBITORY EFFECT OF POMEGRANATE CONSUMPTION ON BLOOD PRESSURE As some antioxidants were recently shown to reduce blood pressure (BP), we studied the effect of PJ consumption (50mL, 1.5mmol of total polyphenols per day, for 2 weeks) by hypertensive patients on their BP and on serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity.34 A 36% decrement in serum ACE activity and a 5% reduction in systolic through BP were noted. A similar dose-dependent inhibitory effect (31%) of PJ on serum ACE activity was observed also in vitro. As reduction in serum ACE activity, even with no decrement in blood pressure BP, was previously shown to attenuate atherosclerosis, PJ can offer a wide protection against cardiovascular diseases which could be related to its inhibitory effect on oxidative stress and on serum ACE activity. In CAS patients the systolic BP was significantly (P<0.05) reduced by 7%, 11%,10%, 10%, and 12% after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of PJ consumption, respectively, compared to values obtained before treatment.