Pomegranate juice increases levels of paraoxonase1 (PON1) expression and enzymatic activity in streptozotocin-induced 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 murine models on the antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate constituents have been published, focusing mainly on treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bacterial infections, and antibiotic resistance. In animals, the esterase paraoxonase1 (PON1) prevents LDL 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 with pomegranate juice (PJ) in order to study the effect of PJ on PON1 gene expression and activity. The supplementation with PJ significantly induced PON1 gene expression and activity compared to mice that did not receive the PJ, although not to the levels reached by mice fed a non-high fat diet. Interestingly, animals supplemented with PJ showed the lowest body weight. In addition, the PJ significantly reduced blood glucose but not triacylglycerols and cholesterol levels, demonstrating that PJ has a hypoglycemic effect. Thus, the daily PJ supplementation in our unique model indicates that including this fruit juice in the diet has potential in the management of diabetes as well as cardioprotective benefits that deserve further clinical investigation.