title: Pomegranate juice prevents development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The effects of pomegranate juice (PJ) on the risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been reported previously; however, the effects on NAFLD and its prevention have not yet been clarified. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of PJ consumption with respect to the prevention of NAFLD/NASH development. Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a high-fat, high sugar diet (model group); a high-fat, high sugar diet plus PJ (model+PJ); or a chow diet ad libitum for 7 weeks. Serum levels of fasting glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, liver enzymes, insulin and hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α and tissue growth factor-β gene expression were determined. Hepatic histology was examined by hemotoxylin and eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model+PJ group had significantly lower hepatic steatosis, ballooning, lobular inflammation and portal inflammation (P < 0.001); lower hepatic pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic gene expression (P < 0.001); and lower plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.026), aspartate aminotransferase (P = 0.041), insulin (P < 0.001), triglycerides (P = 0.041) and glucose (P = 0.009) compared to the model group; however, weight gain, food intake and plasma high-density lipoprotein levels were not significantly different between these two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data obtained in the present study indicate that the regular consumption of PJ can prevent NAFLD even in the presence of the other risk factors such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and high energy, fat and sugar intakes. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noori
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Bahar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jafari
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Azita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hekmatdoost
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D059305:Diet, High-Fat / Q000009:adverse effects; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000009:adverse effects; D000067030:Fruit and Vegetable Juices; D007249:Inflammation / Q000178:diet therapy; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D029561:Lythraceae; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D007328:Insulin; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: experimental study; fibrosis; inflammation; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; pomegranate