A new study shows that the pomegranate has potent antioxidants and disease-fighting compounds.
A study by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine looked at the ability of a pomegranate extract to block enzymes that contribute to osteoarthritis, in particular Interleukin-1b (IL-1b), a pro-inflammatory protein molecule that plays a key role in cartilage degradation.
According to the Journal of Nutrition, researchers added a water extract of pomegranate to human cartilage tissue samples affected by arthritis. The results of the study indicate that pomegranate fruit extracts slow down the overproduction of MMP enzymes in human cartilage cells, adding cartilage protection to the pomegranate's previously discovered antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Another plus of the fruit is that its antioxidant constituents are rapidly absorbed by the body and are non-toxic.
