title: Study of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) peel extract containing anthocyanins on fatty streak formation in the renal arteries in hypercholesterolemic rabbits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influence of the supplementation of pomegranate peel extract containing anthocyanins on atherosclerotic plaque formation induced by hypercholesterolemia was investigated in renal arteries in rabbits.
  
  
  METHODS
  After the determination of polyphenol and anthocyanin's content of P. granatum peel hydroalcoholic extract, 30 male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. They were fed basic diet, hypercholesterolemic diet and hypercholesterolemic diet along with P. granatum peel extract (polyphenolic content for each rabbit 1 g/kg diet) for 2 month. Blood samples were collected at the begging, middle and end of the study in order to measure lipid concentration and oxidative and antioxidative status variables, and renal arteries were taken for the assessment of atherosclerotic plaques at the end of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results reveal that P. granatum peel extract significantly increases serum antioxidant capacity in the extract recipient group in comparison with hypercholesterolemic control (P < 0.05). No significant differences are observed in total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, very low-density lipoprotein and in mean size of accumulated fatty streaks in renal arteries in the extract treatment group in comparison with hypercholesterolemic control (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicate that consumption of pomegranate peel extract containing anthocyanins (polyphenol content 1 g/kg diet) despite of a significant increase in serum antioxidant capacity cannot protect the kidneys from hypercholesterolemia-induced damages during the treatment period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharifiyan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Movahedian-Attar
authors.affiliation: Roy and Ann Foss Interventional Cardiology Research Program, Terrence Donnelly Heart Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1W8.
authors.forename: Nafiseh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nili
authors.affiliation: Basic Sciences Department, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Sedigheh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asgary
keywords: Anthocyanin; atherosclerosis; pomegranate peel; renal artery stenosis