Inhibitory effects of aqueous pericarp extract of punica granatum on in vitro protein glycoxidation and advanced glycation end products

Objectives: In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant potential of aqueous pericarp extract of Punica granatum (APPG) using different model systems.
Methods: To establish the link between glycation and oxidation processes, we evaluated the extract for its in vitro radical scavenging against superoxide, hydroxyl, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, ferric radical and ABTS+ radical and antiglycation activities like the inhibitory activities on bovine serum albumin (BSA) and as well as protein oxidation markers including protein carbonyl formation (PCO).
Results: The results indicated that the APPG possesses the highest antioxidant activity against superoxide, hydroxyl, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, ferric radical and ABTS+ radical. APPG extract at different concentrations (10-250 µg/ml) has significantly quenched the fluorescence intensity of glycated BSA and the glycoxidation measured in terms of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Furthermore, we demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of APPG extract in preventing oxidative protein damages including effect on PCO formation, which are believed to form under the glycoxidation processes.
Conclusion: These results clearly demonstrate that the APPG, owning to its antioxidant content, is capable of suppressing the formation of AGEs and protein oxidation in vitro.