Khaberni - A recent study revealed that a simple, low-cost fruit could play an important role in protecting the heart and reducing the risk of its diseases.
Researchers showed that a natural compound found in pomegranates can help reduce arterial plaque and decrease the risk of heart disease.
Pomegranates contain a compound known as "punicalagin," which is part of the polyphenol compounds associated with heart and vascular health, although the body does not absorb it directly with high efficiency. Instead, gut bacteria break it down into smaller compounds called "urolithins," the most notable being "urolithin A," which has attracted researchers' attention due to its strong effect in combating atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is one of the most serious health problems, occurring as a result of the accumulation of fatty plaques inside the artery walls, gradually narrowing them and reducing blood flow. When one of these plaques ruptures, a blood clot may form that completely blocks the artery, causing a heart attack or stroke within minutes.
In the study, researchers from Cardiff University tested "punicalagin" and ellagic acid and several types of "urolithins" on human immune cells and vascular cells, to determine their ability to reduce the factors causing arterial diseases.
The results showed that "urolithin A" was the most effective, as it helped reduce the oxidative stress that causes cell damage, alleviated the activity of inflammatory genes, and decreased the movement of immune cells towards the vessel walls, and prevented macrophages from absorbing large amounts of cholesterol, all of which are key steps in the formation of arterial plaques.
To confirm these results, the researchers moved to animal trials, where they used genetically modified mice more prone to high cholesterol and atherosclerosis, and subjected them to a high-fat diet for 12 weeks.
Half of the mice received daily supplements of "urolithin A," while the other half did not receive any treatment. At the end of the study, the treated mice showed fewer plaques, of smaller size, alongside a clear decrease in inflammation and improved plaque stability.
Their plaques also contained larger amounts of collagen and smooth muscle cells, making them less susceptible to rupture, which is the main cause of heart attacks and strokes.
Interestingly, this effect was achieved without any change in cholesterol levels in the mice, suggesting that "urolithin A" works differently from traditional statin drugs, which primarily focus on lowering cholesterol.
Dr. Dipak Ramji, the lead author of the study and professor of cardiovascular sciences at Cardiff University, said that these results help explain why diets rich in fruits like pomegranate are linked to heart health benefits, and clarify why the response varies between individuals, as the efficiency of "urolithin A" production depends on the nature of each individual's gut microbiome.
He added that some people naturally produce this compound in greater amounts than others, while direct supplements of it are available but are costly compared to buying just one or two pomegranates.
Although these results have not yet been tested on humans, the researchers believe that "urolithin A" could become a promising tool for preventing heart disease in the future by targeting inflammation and stabilizing plaques, a different mechanism that could complement current treatments.
