title: Pomegranate juice consumption increases GSH levels and reduces lipid and protein oxidation in human blood.
abstract: The aim of the present study was the assessment of the antioxidant effects of pomegranate juice (PJ) consumption in humans. Thus, 14 healthy volunteers consumed PJ daily for a period of 15days and the changes of oxidative stress markers in their blood were assessed at four different time points, immediately before the experiment (T1), after 15days of juice administration (T2), one (T3) and three weeks (T4) after the interruption of PJ administration. The markers studied were total antioxidant capacity (TAC), levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyls (CARB) measured in plasma, as well as reduced glutathione (GSH), and catalase activity (CAT) measured in erythrocytes. The MDA was reduced by 24.4% at T3 and CARB were reduced by 19.6% and 17.7% at T2 and T3, respectively, supporting the evidence that PJ consumption enhances the antioxidant status in humans by decreasing lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Moreover, GSH levels were significantly increased (22.6%) at T2, indicating that PJ consumption improves the antioxidant mechanisms in erythrocytes by increasing GSH levels. Finally, it was shown that even a week after stopping PJ consumption some of its beneficial effects on antioxidant status still remained in the organism.
authors.affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Iera Odos 75, Athens 11855, Greece.
authors.forename: Chrysoula M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Matthaiou
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Ploutonos 26 & Aiolou, Larissa 41221, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goutzourelas
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Ploutonos 26 & Aiolou, Larissa 41221, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stagos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Ploutonos 26 & Aiolou, Larissa 41221, Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sarafoglou
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala 42100, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jamurtas
authors.affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Iera Odos 75, Athens 11855, Greece.
authors.forename: Sofia D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Koulocheri
authors.affiliation: Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Laboratory of Nutritional Physiology and Feeding, Iera Odos 75, Athens 11855, Greece.
authors.forename: Serkos A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Haroutounian
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic and Toxicology, Medical School, University of Crete, Heraklion 71409, Greece.
authors.forename: Aristidis M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tsatsakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Thessaly, Ploutonos 26 & Aiolou, Larissa 41221, Greece. Electronic address: dkouret@uth.gr.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kouretas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D029561:Lythraceae; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: Antioxidant activity; Catalase activity; Glutathione; Lipid peroxidation; Pomegranate juice; Protein oxidation