Effect of pomegranate seed oil on the expression of PPAR-γ and pro-inflammatory biomarkers in obese type 2 diabetic patients
ISSN: 0034-6659
Article publication date: 25 March 2019
Issue publication date: 3 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Diabetes is one of the most prevailed chronic diseases in the world. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play a key role in the type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pomegranate seed oil (PSO) has potential anti-inflammatory properties. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antidiabetic effects of the use of PSO on the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ), pro-inflammatory biomarkers and lipid profile levels in obese type 2 diabetic patients.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 52 patients were randomly assigned to the PSO (n = 26) and placebo (n = 26) groups. Subjects received daily PSO 3 g placebo (paraffin) in 1 g soft-gel capsules (along with breakfast, lunch and dinner meals) for eight weeks.
Findings
Serum levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS) decreased from 161.46 ± 34.44 to 143.50 ± 24.2 mg/dL (p = 0.008), IL-6 decreased from 5.17 ± 2.25 to 4.52 ± 1.90 (p = 0.049) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) significantly decreased from 9.17 ± 4.13 to 7.74 ± 2.44 pmol/mL in PSO group (p = 0.030). However, changes in the expression of PPAR-γ gene, serum levels of hs-CRP and lipid profile levels were not significant.
Research limitations/implications
Lack of PSO concentration measurements and the short duration of the study were the key limitations. Future randomized clinical trials with a longer period of follow-up are needed to assess the potential anti-diabetic effects of PSO.
Originality/value
Administration of PSO in obese type 2 diabetic patients reduced the levels of FBS, interleukin 6 and TNF-α; nevertheless, changes in the insulin, lipid profiles and hs-CRP were not significant.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the subjects participated in this study and Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences (TUOMS), Nutrition Research Center and Department of Internal Medicine for supporting this study. This is part of a database from Ph.D. thesis entitled “The effects of PSO supplementation on the PPAR gamma and GLUT4 genes expression, the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP inflammatory factors, and Glycemic indexes in obese type 2 diabetic patients: randomized controlled clinical trial”.
Conflict of Interest: The authors state that there is no interest in the content of this study.
Citation
Khajebishak, Y., Payahoo, L., Hamishehkar, H., Alivand, M., Alipour, M., Solhi, M. and Alipour, B. (2019), "Effect of pomegranate seed oil on the expression of PPAR-γ and pro-inflammatory biomarkers in obese type 2 diabetic patients", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 49 No. 5, pp. 854-865. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-10-2018-0298
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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