Methanolic pomegranate dried peel extract improves cryopreserved semen quality and antioxidant capacity of rams

Objective:To select the appropriate concentrations of methanolic pomegranate extract supplemented in rams’semen extender for obtaining the best-cryopreserved semen quality.Methods:Tris-based semen extender was supplemented with 0.0,0.40,0.48,and 0.56 mg/mL pomegranate peel methanolic extract to extend semen collected from five native rams twice weekly for two months(n=80).Pooled(n=16)post-thaw semen characteristics were determined.Thawed seminal plasma of all supplemented and control groups were used to measure malondialdehyde(MDA),nitric oxide(NO),glutathione peroxidase(GPx),superoxide dismutase(SOD),ascorbic acid,zinc,copper,total cholesterol,low-density lipoproteins(LDL),lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),and alkaline phosphatase(ALP).Results:The supplementation of Tris-based semen extender with 0.48 mg/mL semen extender resulted in the highest post-thaw sperm total motility(P<0.001),sperm progressive motility(P<0.001),live sperm(P<0.001),sperm plasma membrane integrity(P<0.001),acrosome integrity(P<0.001),SOD(P<0.05),zinc(P<0.001),total cholesterol(P<0.001),and LDL(P<0.001)with the lowest percentage of abnormal sperm morphology(P<0.001),the lowest lipid peroxidation(MDA,P<0.01),ascorbic acid(P>0.05),and LDH(P>0.05).Conclusions:Pomegranate peel methanolic extract 0.48 mg/mL supplemented to Tris-based semen extender of rams is the best enrichment in preserving the sperm post-thaw characteristics via improving biochemical profiles and antioxidant capacity.

Pomegranate （Punica granatum L.） Peel Extract as a Source of Natural Antioxidant

An increase in the demand for natural additives has shifted the attention from synthetic to natural antioxidants. Antioxidative components from pomegranate peel were extracted by using different solvents like methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and ethyl acetate. All the extracts were tested for Total phenolic content （TPC） and the methanol which proved to be best in extracting the phenolic compounds was used to assess the antioxidant property by using different methods like Diphenyl piridyl picryl hydrazyl （DPPH）, Relative reducing power （RRP）, Beta carotene bleaching and Ferric thiocyanate （FTC）. The antioxidant activity （AA） of pomegranate peel extract （PPE） was compared with Butylated hydroxyl toluene （BHT） and Butylated hydroxyl anisole （BHA）. The methanolic extract was examined by Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy （LCMS） and the spectra showed the presence of different phenolic compounds. The extracts were tested for their efficiency in preventing rancidity of Refined Bleached Deodorized Soybean oil （RBDSBO） in comparison with BHT and control at 200 ppm concentration. The PPE proved to be best in preventing rancidity. Owing to the present results, the studies can further be extended to exploit the PPE for application into different food products.

Antihydatic and immunomodulatory effects of Punica granatum peel aqueous extract in a murine model of echinococcosis

Objective: To investigate the effect of pomegranate peel aqueous extract (PGE) on the development of secondary experimental echinococcosis and on the viability of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces, and the immunomodulatory properties of PGE. Methods: Swiss mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscoleces. Then, PGE was orally administered daily during cystic echinococcosis development. Cyst development and hepatic damage were macroscopically and histologically analyzed. The production of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha was assessed in plasma and the hepatic expression of iNOS, TNF-alpha, NF-kappa B and CD68 was examined. Moreover, protoscoleces were cultured and treated with different concentrations of PGE. Results: It was observed that in vitro treatment of protoscoleces caused a significant decrease in viability in a PGE-dose-dependent manner. In vivo, after treatment of cystic echinococcosis infected mice with PGE, a significant decrease in nitric oxide levels (P<0.000 1) and TNF-alpha levels (P<0.001) was observed. This decline was strongly related to the inhibition of cyst development (rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition=63.08%) and a decrease in CD68 expression in both the pericystic layer of hepatic hydatid cysts and liver tissue (P<0.000 1). A significant diminution of iNOS, TNF-alpha and NF-kappa B expression was also observed in liver tissue of treated mice (P<0.000 I). Conclusions: Our results indicate an antihydatic scolicidal effect and immunomodulatory properties of PGE, suggesting its potential therapeutic role against Echinococcus granulosus infection.

Effect of pomegranate peel extract on the reduction of heterocyclic amines and quality characteristics of mutton meatballs

Pomegranate peel extract(PPE),rich in phenolic compounds,is an undervalued byproduct derived from processing pomegranates.However,there are very few studies on the inhibitory effect of PPE on harmful substances during meat processing.This study was intended to investigate the influence of different concentrations of PPE(0.50%,1%,and 1.50%)on the generation of heterocyclic amines(HCAs)and some quality attributes in mutton meatballs.All samples with the addition of PPE(0,0.50%,1%,and 1.50%)were fried for different lengths of time(2.5 min and 5 min)at 175±5 C,and the contents of fourteen HCAs,color,thiobarbituric acid reactive substances,and carbonyl values of fried mutton meatballs were evaluated.The results showed that samples fried at 2.5 min had a low HCA content,and the HCA content enhanced signifi-cantly when the frying time was increased from 2.5 to 5 min(P<0.05).In comparison with the control group,PPE could significantly inhibit the generation of total HCAs in fried mutton meatballs(P<0.05),and the total HCAs content decreased with increasing PPE concentration.PPE significantly reduced carbonyl andTBARS values in fried mutton meatballs(P<0.05).Moreover,PPE resulted in a significant increase in a*and b*values as well as a decrease in L*values in fried mutton meatballs(P<0.05).In conclusion,PPE could inhibit the formation of HCAs and improve the quality of mutton meatballs,and could be considered as a natural inhibitor of HCAs in fried meat products.