Studies show pomegranate supplement slows neurodegenerative diseases

[JayPwP]

Another news from Israel

israel21c.org/studies-show-...

[park_bear]

According to the research cited, they got improvement in animal models of CJD and MS using Punicic Acid, the main component of Pomegranate seed oil. On the other hand we have this:

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

" Pomegranate juice (PJ) has the greatest composite antioxidant potency index among beverages, and it has been demonstrated to have protective effects in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease. The present study was designed to examine the potential neuroprotective effects of PJ in the rotenone model of PD. Oral administration of PJ did not mitigate or prevent experimental PD but instead increased nigrostriatal terminal depletion, DA neuron loss, the inflammatory response, and caspase activation, thereby heightening neurodegeneration. The mechanisms underlying this effect are uncertain, but the finding that PJ per se enhanced nitrotyrosine, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and activated caspase-3 expression in nigral DA neurons is consistent with its potential pro-oxidant activity."

Unknown how much Punicic Acid is in pomegranate juice, but since we have no research indicating any benefit in Parkinson's best to stay away.

[rescuema in reply to park_bear]

"The mechanisms underlying this effect are uncertain" - may have something to do with too much fructose and increased inflammation?

[JayPwP in reply to rescuema]

Thanks

[JayPwP in reply to rescuema]

But the beneficial research is with pomegranate seed oil and degeneration seen in pomegranate juice

[rescuema in reply to JayPwP]

My response was to park_bear post of Pom juice study. I’d say the oil extract will be a different result.

[park_bear in reply to JayPwP]

That much is true. It is also true that both the oil and the juice have been shown to be beneficial in a animal models of neurodegenerative diseases other than Parkinson's, whereas the juice has been shown to be detrimental in animal model of Parkinson's, but the oil has not been tested for this. From my prior link:

" Pomegranate juice (PJ) has the greatest composite antioxidant potency index among beverages, and it has been demonstrated to have protective effects in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease."

[JayPwP in reply to park_bear]

Thanks

[Rhyothemis in reply to park_bear]

Seems like there are conflicting findings regarding pomegranate juice:

Kujawska et al. 2020 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Though both studies used rats treated with rotenone, the Tapias et al. 2014 study used 6-7 month old male Lewis rats and the Kujawska et al. 2020 study used six-week old male albino Wistar rats.

Another possible difference between the two studies is gut microbiome composition of the rats. Urolithin A production is dependent on gut microbes; the 2020 study found urolithin A in the brains of rats receiving PJ.

It is - disappointing? perplexing? - that the 2020 study used such young rats; it does not seem like a good way to model PD which is typically age-dependent. Also disappointing that female rats were not tested in either study.

[JayPwP in reply to Rhyothemis]

True

[park_bear in reply to Rhyothemis]

As you are already aware, females are commonly excluded from studies.

[rescuema in reply to park_bear]

"We conclude that even when female rats are used in neuroscience experiments without regard to the estrous cycle stage, their data are not more variable than those of male rats."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Rhyothemis in reply to rescuema]

saw this yesterday:

youtu.be/micXX__6L8g?t=3266(Not working as expected?)

When I first saw a talk by Dr Langevin a few years ago she was working at University of Vermont. I daydreamed about getting a job as one of her lab techs - her work is very interesting, she seems so nice, and I would love to be in Vermont. Now she's at Harvard; Boston's pretty good place, too, though I prefer Burlington ...