Evaluation of metabolite profiles and neuroprotective potential in four pomegranate cultivars for Alzheimer's disease prevention.

IF 3.3 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture Pub Date : 2025-02-07 DOI:10.1002/jsfa.14176

Hana Lee, John M Chater, Claire C Heinitz, Yu Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss, with oxidative stress and neuroinflammation playing crucial roles in its progression. Current treatments, such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, offer limited symptomatic relief and can have side effects. With growing interest in functional foods that have fewer side effects, pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) has gained attention because of its rich antioxidant content. The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of four pomegranate cultivars: 'Wonderful', 'Phoenicia', 'Azadi' and 'Eversweet'. Additionally, it investigates their metabolite profiles and predicts potential bioactive compounds that could help prevent AD.

Results: The 'Wonderful' cultivar demonstrated the highest levels of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total anthocyanin content and radical scavenging activities. The AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) inhibition rates were highest in 'Phoenicia' and 'Wonderful' cultivars, suggesting potential neuroprotective effects. PC12 cell assays indicated that these cultivars significantly improved cell viability, reduced reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, and also enhanced catalase activity. Metabolomics analysis identified 141 metabolites, with the 'Wonderful' cultivar showing the highest metabolite abundance. Molecular docking studies indicated that some metabolites, such as taxifolin, demonstrated strong binding affinities for AChE and BuChE, suggesting potential for AD treatment.

Conclusion: The 'Wonderful' and 'Phoenicia' cultivars demonstrated the most promising antioxidant and neuroprotective effects among the evaluated pomegranates, likely because of their high taxifolin content. These findings suggest that these cultivars could be valuable for developing functional foods aimed at AD prevention and treatment. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

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来源期刊

Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 工程技术-农业综合

CiteScore

8.10

自引率

4.90%

发文量

634

审稿时长

3.1 months

期刊介绍： The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture publishes peer-reviewed original research, reviews, mini-reviews, perspectives and spotlights in these areas, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary studies at the agriculture/ food interface. Published for SCI by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. SCI (Society of Chemical Industry) is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join and current Members include consumers, business people, environmentalists, industrialists, farmers, and researchers. The Society offers a chance to share information between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, materials, chemicals, environmental science and safety. As well as organising educational events, SCI awards a number of prestigious honours and scholarships each year, publishes peer-reviewed journals, and provides Members with news from their sectors in the respected magazine, Chemistry & Industry . Originally established in London in 1881 and in New York in 1894, SCI is a registered charity with Members in over 70 countries.