Pomegranate Protection against Cardiovascular Diseases
Figure 11
Increased in vivo antiatherogenic properties of whole pomegranate powder by-product (POMxp) versus pomegranate arils+seeds by-product (POM arils+seeds): studies in peritoneal macrophages from the atherosclerotic E0 mice. E0 mice (6 weeks old) consumed for 2 months 10 mg total polyphenols/kg/day of POMxp (dissolved in water), or of POM arils+seeds. Control mice received only water (placebo). At the end of the study, the mice peritoneal macrophages (MPM) were harvested. (a) Macrophage total peroxides content was determined by the DCFH assay. (b) The cells were incubated with LDL (100 μg protein/mL) in the presence of copper ions, and the extent of LDL oxidation was measured by the TBARS assay. (c) The extent of Ox-LDL (25 μg of protein/mL, labeled with FITC) uptake by the mice macrophages was determined using flow cytometry. (d) The mice macrophages were prelabeled with [3H]-cholesterol for 1 hour. Then, the cells were washed, and further incubated for 3 hours at 37°C without or with HDL (100 μg of protein/mL). The extent of HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux was determined. Results are given as mean ± S.D of three different determinations. * versus placebo.
