Effect of pomegranate seed oil on serum TNF-α level in dyslipidemic patients

Abstract

Pomegranate punicic acid and pomegranate fruit extracts have the potential effects in inhibiting tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) consumption on serum TNF-α level in dyslipidemic patients. Fifty-one subjects with serum total cholesterol concentration >200 mg/dl and serum triglyceride concentrations >150 mg/dl were randomly assigned into the PSO (n = 25) and placebo (n = 26) groups. Subjects were given 400 mg PSO or placebo capsules twice daily for 4 weeks. Six patients were excluded because of complications or lack of compliance. Serum TNF-α level was measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. Mean (SD) serum concentration of TNF-α decreased from 14.73 ± 5.25 to 13.28 ± 3.79 pg/ml in the PSO group (P = NS). Corresponding values in the placebo group were 12.46 ± 1.67 versus 13.14 ± 1.67 pg/ml (P = NS). In conclusion, administration of PSO in dyslipidemic patients does not affect the serum TNF-α.

Keywords::

• pomegranate seed oil
• TNF-α
• dyslipidaemia

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the subjects who participated in this study and Ms. N. Shiva for editing of the manuscript.

Declarations of interest: This study was supported by a grant from Research Institute of Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University Medical Sciences, Iran. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Notes

This clinical trial was registered at http://www.irct.ir as IRCT138711151640N1.