The protective effects of pomegranate on liver and remote organs caused by experimental obstructive jaundice model

E.E. Yilmaz, Z. Arikanoğlu, A. Turkoğlu, E. Kiliç, H. Yüksel, M. Gümüş

Department of General Surgery, Diyarbakir Gazi Yaşargil Education and Research Hospital, Diyarbakir, Turkey. drediperdalyilmaz@gmail.com

---

• Pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the protective potential of pomegranate extract on the liver and remote organs in rats with obstructive jaundice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were split into 4 groups. In Group 1 (G1) (sham group) rats, the common bile duct was mobilized without any ligation. Group 2 (G2) received a combination of the sham operation and synchronous treatment with pomegranate. Group 3 (G3) received common bile duct ligation (CBDL). Group 4 (G4) were subjected to CBDL and treatment with pomegranate. After 8 days, we measured total oxidative status (TOS) and antioxidant capacity in the rats’ liver tissue and remote organs, and evaluated blood levels of malondialdehyde and total antioxidant capacity (TAC).

RESULTS: G3 rats showed significantly raised malondialdehyde level as compared to G1 rats (p < 0.001). Following the pomegranate therapy, a decrease in malondialdehyde was observed (p = 0.015). TAC levels were significantly raised in the G3 rats compared to the G1 rats (p = 0.004). TAC levels dropped after pomegranate therapy (p = 0.011). CBDL caused elevated TOS levels in the liver and remote organs, with a statistically significant increase in the lung tissue (p = 0.002). TOS levels in the CBDL groups decreased after pomegranate treatment (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the marked protective effect of pomegranate on the liver and remote organs in obstructive jaundice.

Free PDF Download