Pomegranates are a delicious way to reduce oxidative stress

Researchers from King Saud University have found that pomegranates (Punica granatum) contain anti-malaria properties which boost immune responses. The study, which was published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, looked at the anti-protozoal properties of the fruit in malaria-induced animal models.

• The mice were assigned into three groups: a vehicle control, those infected with Plasmodium chabaudi-parasitized red blood cells; and infected rats treated with 100 microliters of a 300 mg/kg solution of pomegranate peel extract.
• The mice were observed for six days; after which, the researchers harvested spleen tissue from the samples for further analysis.
• Results indicated that spleen tissue in mice treated with pomegranate extract had reduced parasitemia.
• Additionally, spleen histology scores showed that mice treated with pomegranate extract had less injury than that of untreated mice.

From these findings, the team concluded that pomegranate extracts can be used as an alternative treatment for malaria.

Read more of the study at this link.

Discover the other health benefits of pomegranates at Food.news.

Journal Reference:

Mubaraki MA, Hafiz TA, Dkhil MA, Al-Quraishy S. BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF PUNICA GRANATUM PEEL EXTRACT ON MURINE MALARIA-INDUCED SPLEEN INJURY. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 16 July 2016;16(221). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1207-9