Pomegranate juice increases levels of araoxonase1 (PON1) expression and enzymatic activity in streptozotocin- nduced diabetic mice fed with a high-fat diet

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a polyphenol-rich fruit. In the past decade, studies in human and murinemodels on the antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranateconstituents have been published, focusing mainly on treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease,diabetes, bacterial infections, and antibiotic resistance. In animals, the esterase paraoxonase1 (PON1) preventsLDL oxidation in vitro. Decreased levels of PON1 are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.In this work, streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice fed with a high-fat diet were supplemented daily withpomegranate juice (PJ) in order to study the effect of PJ on PON1 gene expression and activity. The supplementationwith PJ significantly induced PON1 gene expression and activity compared to mice that did notreceive the PJ, although not to the levels reached by mice fed a non-high fat diet. Interestingly, animalssupplemented with PJ showed the lowest bodyweight. In addition, the PJ significantly reduced blood glucose butnot triacylglycerols and cholesterol levels, demonstrating that PJ has a hypoglycemic effect. Thus, the daily PJsupplementation in our unique model indicates that including this fruit juice in the diet has potential in themanagement of diabetes as well as cardioprotective benefits that deserve further clinical investigation.