NOBLESVILLE, Ind.—New research shows Verdure Sciences’ patented pomegranate extract Pomella® inhibits the formation of markers responsible for oxidative stress. (Food Funct. 2014 Oct 22;5(11):2996-3004. doi: 10.1039/c4fo00538d)

A new 2014 study from the University of Rhode Island, Kingston, shows Pomella phenolics inhibit the formation of a biologically relevant oxidative stress marker called Advanced Glycation Endproducts, or AGE. AGEs are formed when a sugar molecule attaches to DNA or other proteins, and prevents their proper function. Accumulation of AGE plays a key role in aging and some age-related chronic human diseases, such as type-2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. 

In the study, researchers investigated the in vitro anti-glycation effects of the pomegranate fruit extract (PE), its phenolic constituents [punicalagin (PA), ellagic acid (EA) and gallic acid (GA)], and their in vivo derived colonic metabolites [urolithin A (UA) and urolithin B (UB)]. All of the samples showed anti-glycation activities, and PE, PA,and EA were more potent inhibitors than the positive control, aminoguanidine. PE and the purified phenolics also exhibited carbonyl scavenger reactivity. The study suggests that pomegranate may offer an attractive dietary strategy for the prevention and treatment of AGE-related diseases such as type-2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

In a previous study, Pomella ranked highest in antioxidant activity across a number of assays, including ORAC, TEAC, FRAP and DPPH, compared to 26 other antioxidant products.