Abstract

The pomegranate fruit (locally known as Dalim) is a rich source of various bioactive metabolites. The cardioprotective effect was aimed to investigate on polyphenol-rich pomegranate peel extract (PPE) that were administered isoproterenol, a synthetic catecholamine used to induce cardiac stress in rats. Twenty four adult rats were taken to evaluate the effects. The selected rats were divided into four groups, serving as the control (Group I), Isoproterenol (ISO) administered (Group II), PPE with ISO treatment (Group III) and gallic acid (polyphenol) along with ISO administration (Group IV). ISO administration increased inflammatory cell infiltration, fibrosis and lipid peroxidation. However, antioxidant enzyme activities were reduced in heart tissues by using isoproterenol. The findings of the study indicate that the various detrimental effects arose on the rat’s heart tissues by ISO administration which seemed to be protected by the administration of the polyphenol-rich PPE. This protection was associated with several positive outcomes, including: reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis, reduction in free radicals by improving antioxidant enzymes activities (SOD, catalase), suppression of oxidative stress markers (MDA, NO, APOP), and reduction in inflammatory marker (MPO). Besides, PPE treatment normalized the elevated ALT, AST, ALP, and CK-MB levels. The cardioprotective effects shown by PPE may be due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds, as determined by HPLC analysis. Overall, the outcomes recommend that polyphenol enriched PPE may protect cardiac tissues in ISO-administered rats by suppressing oxidative stress, fibrosis, and myocardial infarction as well as enhancing antioxidant enzyme functions.

Key words: Polyphenols; pomegranate; cardioprotective effects; antioxidant enzymes; fibrosis; myocardial infarction; oxidative stress